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Former world No. 1 tennis player Arantxa Sánchez Vicario says she lost her $41 million fortune after trusting her ex-husband to manage her finances, leaving the four-time Grand Slam champion saddled with years of legal and financial troubles.

"I focused on playing tennis and never handled my own financial affairs because I didn't know how," Sánchez Vicario said on the Spanish television program Universo Callejo, according to The Sun (1). "I trusted my husband... And the money vanished. I was left to shoulder the entire burden."

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The former tennis star, who retired in 2002 after one of the sport's most decorated careers, says she is still paying the price. According to reports, she now gives a significant portion of her earnings toward repaying debts while rebuilding her finances.

Her story is a cautionary tale about the lasting consequences of financial mismanagement, legal disputes and tax troubles, even for someone who earned tens of millions of dollars at the height of their career.

The financial troubles stem from a years-long legal battle involving Sánchez Vicario and her ex-husband, Josep Santacana. In 2024, a Spanish court found the pair guilty (2) of concealing assets to avoid repaying debts owed to Banque de Luxembourg.

They were ordered to pay at least €6.6 million (a touch over $7.5 million today) to the bank as a result.

Sánchez Vicario has consistently maintained that she was unaware (3) of any wrongdoing, describing herself as a victim and arguing that Santacana handled the couple's finances.

Santacana has denied those claims (4), telling reporters during the proceedings that he simply wanted "the truth to be told."

Although Sánchez Vicario initially received a two-year prison sentence, she avoided serving jail time and she agreed to pay 50% of her earnings to the bank.

Santacana was sentenced to three years and three months in prison.

Read More: Millionaires under 43 hold only 25% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going

Trust is an important part of any financial relationship, whether it's with a spouse or a business partner. Regularly reviewing your accounts, understanding where your money is invested and asking questions about significant financial moves can help reduce the risk of costly surprises.

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The fraud case wasn't the first major financial setback of Sánchez Vicario's career.

In 2009, Spain's Supreme Court ordered the former tennis champion to pay roughly $5.9 million after ruling that she had improperly claimed residency in Andorra instead of Spain between 1989 and 2003, resulting in unpaid taxes (5).

During her playing career, Sánchez Vicario won four Grand Slam singles titles — including three French Open championships and one U.S. Open title — and represented Spain at five Olympic Games.

Today, however, she says the financial consequences of those legal battles continue to follow her despite the fortune she amassed on the court.

Sánchez Vicario's financial troubles were compounded by a multimillion-dollar tax dispute. Taxes can become a major financial burden if they're not carefully managed.

That's where a personal finance dashboard like Empower can help. The free platform can connect you with a certified professional who can help with more complex tax situations.

Unlike standalone tax software, Empower lets you manage all your financial accounts in one dashboard. You can see how a property sale or a large dividend might affect your overall tax bill before you file.

Whether you're trying to be more strategic with a growing portfolio or simply want to avoid costly surprises, having everything connected in one place can make tax season feel far less complicated.

And even if you're not an Empower client, you can still file taxes through Empower by creating a free Empower Dashboard to get started.

One of the biggest takeaways from Sánchez Vicario's story is the importance of staying engaged with your finances, even if someone else helps manage them.

Knowing where your money is going, how much you're saving and whether your spending aligns with your goals can make it easier to spot problems before they snowball.

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We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.

The Sun (1); The Print (2); Investing.com (3); KFGO (4); BBC (5)

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.