"If she tries to hide, check the bathrooms" "Went to same school as Boris Becker" - Fans react to Arantxa Sanchez Vicario being found guilty of fraud

Tennis fans reacted to the news of former World No. 1 Arantxa Sanchez Vicario being found guilty of defrauding a bank. On Wednesday, January 17, a court in Barcelona reached a verdict, finding Sanchez Vicario and her ex-husband Josep Santacana guilty of fraud.

The court found that the two had concealed assets in an effort to evade payment of a substantial multi-million euro debt owed to Banque de Luxembourg, a debt that has been relentlessly pursued by the bank since 2009.

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario evaded going to prison despite being handed a two-year prison sentence as she was a first-time offender. However, along with her former husband, she is required to pay a fine of 6.6 million euros.

Tennis fans were surprised to find out about the ruling. They took to social media to share their opinions. One fan stated that if the Spaniard attempts to evade her fines, authorities should 'check the bathrooms' to find her.

This remark alluded to the incident during the 1994 Bank of the West Classic, where Sanchez Vicario infamously took a bathroom break during her match against 14-year-old Venus Williams. The purpose behind this move was to disrupt Williams' rhythm and ultimately secure victory despite initially being on the verge of defeat.

"If she tries to hide, check in the bathrooms!" a fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Another fan stated that the four-time Grand Slam champion attended the 'same school' of committing fraud as a German tennis legend, Boris Becker.

Becker had previously served eight months of his two-and-a-half-year prison sentence in the UK for concealing £2.5m worth of assets and loans in a bankruptcy fraud case.

"Went to the same school as Becker," another fan posted.

Here are a few more reactions from tennis fans:

A look at Arantxa Sanchez Vicario's success at the Olympics

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario at the Fed Cup

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario has won a total of four Olympic medals. Her collection includes two silver medals and two bronze medals.

At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the Spaniard secured a silver medal in the doubles category, partnering with Conchita Martinez, and a bronze medal in the singles event.

In the women's doubles event, the final featured Conchita Martinez and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario against the duo of Gigi Fernandez and Mary Joe Fernandez. The American pair emerged victorious after a thrilling battle, defeating the Spanish team by a score of 7–5, 2–6, 6–2. This defeat meant that Martinez and Sanchez Vicario had to settle for silver medals,

The four-time Grand Slam champion won the bronze medal after she was defeated by eventual gold medalist Jennifer Capriati in the semifinals.

At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martínez secured the bronze medal by defeating Manon Bollegraf and Brenda Schultz-McCarthy. Additionally, Sanchez Vicario earned a silver medal in the women's singles category after being defeated by Lindsay Davenport in the final.