Former world No. 1 tennis player Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and her ex-husband, Josep Santacana, were found guilty of fraud in Spain on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
Sánchez-Vicario, a four-time Grand Slam singles winner who retired in 2022, and Santacana reportedly hid assets in an attempt to avoid paying large debts, which were owed to the Banque de Luxembourg.
The 52-year-old Barcelona-born Sánchez-Vicario avoided jail time, while Santacana was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.
Sánchez-Vicario was initially given a two-year sentence but it was waived due to her being a first-time offender — and an agreement that she will pay back her debts to the bank.
The ex-couple, who divorced in 2019, must also pay a fine of 6.6 million euros ($7.1 million).
Both Sánchez-Vicario and Santacana had denied the charges prior to the ruling, according to The Associated Press — which reported that she claimed he handled her money and she had no knowledge of any illegal wrongdoing.
The Spanish court ruled that although Sánchez-Vicario did not have the financial knowledge to tamper with the assets, “obviously she had full knowledge of what was done with her assets and was benefiting from them, with the full awareness of the debt she had with Banque de Luxembourg.”
In 2023, Sánchez-Vicario reportedly reached a deal with prosectors to admit to the allegations in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Sánchez-Vicario was photographed leaving a court in Barcelona on Sept. 12, when she was seen walking through a bevy of press.
Two months later, Sanchez-Vicario attended the Billie Jean King Cup semifinal match between Canada and Czechia at Estadio de La Cartuja in Spain on Nov. 11.
The three-time French Open winner made an appearance on the court with the tennis icon, and former Spanish pro Conchita Martinez.
Sánchez-Vicario was the World No. 1 player in 1995.
She won the U.S. Open in 1994, which was the same year she earned her second French Open title. She also won the French Open in 1989 and 1998.
Sánchez-Vicario won silver and bronze medals in both the women’s singles and doubles at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.