from sporting-heroes.net
The Associated Press sent out an article about Andrea Jaeger — how she recently became a Dominican Anglican nun, and continues to run the Little Star, a charity that helps children battling cancer (which she founded).
The tennis world didn’t welcome her philantropy:
“I don’t think anyone understood the mind-set of someone who wasn’t committed to being No. 1 in the world,” said Jaeger, who reached No. 2, but conceded she tanked matches precisely to avoid the top spot. “To me, it was, when I’m on the tennis court, I’ll swing a racket back and forth and chase a few balls. When I’m not on the court, I’m going to do what I feel God has called me to do, and I’m going to be a kid. If that’s the worst thing they can say about me, then hats off to them.
“They didn’t get it then. Now, they do.”
They get it well enough that everyone — from Agassi, to Anna Kournikova, to the Croatians — regularly participate in charity matches.
Supplemental reading: SI.com’s Richard Dietsch did a Q&A with Jaeger back in December.
tennis served fresh 
March 9, 2007 at 12:46 pm |
I discovered what had happened to her back in the Times just around Christmas. Although I have kept the story quite secret (my brother has a hatred of anything to do with religion or even of something that HE would call a religion, like radical Trotskyists who appear to dominate student politics) it is fascinating even if I perhaps don’t take it as seriously as I should.
It really is a fascinating story because it is so unusual, as Deitsch – like Jaeger (properly Jäger) of German origin) shows in one of his funniest quotes.
September 4, 2007 at 12:21 pm |
Hi
I love Andrea Jaeger she’s a fab tennis player
Geoff UK
July 5, 2008 at 12:29 pm |
Jaeger says she threw ’83 Wimbledon finalUpdated: July 5, 2008, 9:31 AM EST
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) – Andrea Jaeger said in an interview with a British newspaper that she purposely lost the 1983 Wimbledon final to Martina Navratilova.
Jaeger turned professional at 14 and retired five years later after blowing out her shoulder in the 1985 French Open. She became a nun in 2006, and said she threw the 1983 final at the All England Club in an interview published Saturday in The Daily Mail.
“During the match I missed balls on purpose. I hit right to Martina and when I was getting whipped in the first set 6-0, I tried to look upset about it,” said Jaeger, who lost 6-0, 6-3. “I glanced at my dad. He knew something was wrong because I never got nervous and always started great.”
Jaeger said she got into an argument with her father the afternoon before the final and fled the home she was renting. She was only 18 in 1983, and she said she went next door to where Navratilova was staying in order to call a taxi.
“I was upset and kept pounding on the door and ringing the bell until Martina’s trainer, Nancy Lieberman, opened the door and took me to the kitchen,” Jaeger said. “Martina was sitting in the living room. She glanced round at me briefly with a look on her face to say that I’d interrupted her preparation for the final. She stayed seated and didn’t look at me again.
“I couldn’t have done that in her position, but all I thought at the time was, ‘I’ve changed her routine and affected her. I can’t go out and try in the final now,”‘ Jaeger added. “Martina missed her chance to help her neighbor who was suffering in order to fulfill her desire, so I had to make it right. I gave up my desire to give someone their help.”
The win was the third of nine Wimbledon singles titles for Navratilova.
see or submit additional comments at: http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/8314196?MSNHPHMA
skvam
7/5/2008
9:02 AM (report inappropriate content)
I am amazed that as a young woman of 18, Andrea Jaeger had the moral compass to set ageless, immortal morality above temporary, earthly victory. If only others could be that focused on right. I wish her well. Godspeed!
whiteline24
7/5/2008
9:24 AM (report inappropriate content)
As someone with some age and perspective, I’ll try for some wisdom. Marina would have beaten Andrea anyway. On Andrea’s best day and Marina’s off day, Andrea might have beaten her on occasion. Regardless of what Venus did today, a healthy Serena would have cleaned Martin’a clock even when Martina was in her prime. And I’m not even a fan of Serena’s.
As for Andrea, I’m not sure why this came out of her now. Maybe she is having problems with some of her life choices. That being said, you would think she could have helped the kid a bit and given her some comfort. This did not happen five minutes before the match. This must have been 15 hours before. No athylete focuses that early before the event. Well- maybe Jake LaMotta but otherwise……
Martina might have spent five minutes with her, patted her on the back, and pointed her to someone she could talk to. Maybe Nancy did. If it is the same Nancy I am thinking it is and someone I have met, she had played team sports and would have a different view maybe.
wheezie60
7/5/2008
9:25 AM (report inappropriate content)
Andrea Jaeger was a good player but she wasn’t in the same class as Martina, now or ever. This sounds more like an excuse to justify her failures than anything else. I watched those matches. If she had the nerve to throw the match she threw it to upset her father no one else. Quite frankly I don’t think she had the talent to throw a match.
MizzouMO
7/5/2008
9:35 AM (report inappropriate content)
OK, let’s discuss what would have happened if Jaeger would have “tried” in the match. The outcome would have been the same, no doubt. Martina would have won easily, but Jaeger might have picked up a few more games. The final score may have been something like 6-2, 6-4.
Packers_Forever
7/5/2008
9:43 AM (report inappropriate content)
That’s silly to say Martina is a man. But take a look at a picture of her in her prime and remember there was no steriod testing back then.
bigmlbfan
7/5/2008
10:53 AM (report inappropriate content)
I remember that match…it was the year after I won a city tournament in St. Louis. I totally believe Sr. Jaeger: she just wants to put it behind her. Martina would’ve won, but not 6-0, 6-3.
whiteline24
bydand
7/5/2008
11:06 AM (report inappropriate content)
It’s interesting to read small people’s comments.
If after all these years Andrea clears her past thoughts there is nothing wrong with that. Grown people would understand and accept. Period.
For those who make negative comments, I hope you are perfect and never have any bad things happen to you.
7/5/2008
11:35 AM (report inappropriate content)
Andrea is not the first athlete or celebrity who confessed to something years later. For the record, from what I recall, Andrea is a nun but not a Roman catholic nun. Either way, I admie her or having sought out some service to her fellow man.
see or submit additional comments at: http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/8314196?MSNHPHMA