Grand Slam winner misplaced Wimbledon last on objective and is now a nun

Andrea Jaeger was solely a 14-year-old when she turned skilled and began to make a reputation for herself within the tennis world. The Chicago-born teen was tipped to grow to be of the sports activities largest stars and take the world by storm, however as an alternative to determined to commit her life to a different trigger.

In 1980 Jaeger grew to become the youngest participant to be seeded at Wimbledon at simply 15 years and 19 days outdated. This achievement was then adopted by reaching the semifinals of the US Open in the identical yr, rising to grow to be world quantity 2.

A primary Grand Slam win within the doubles on the French Open got here subsequent, adopted by a Wimbledon last in opposition to Martina Navratilov in 1983. However, that is the place the American’s story started to alter.

A 6-0, 6-3 defeat was inflicted, however it has since been claimed by Jaeger that she deliberately misplaced the Wimbledon match. The cause was made when Jaeger shocklingly revealed she took “a few beatings” off her father, and on one event she determined to run away after refusing to inform tales about what she had heard within the locker room.

Running subsequent door she was greeted by was greeted by Navratilova’s coach, Nancy Lieberman. Following a glance from Navratilova after disrupting the tennis icon’s pre-match preparation, Jaeger determined to throw within the towel. “I went on court in complete peace knowing that giving the match away was the right thing to do,” she mentioned. “I had to look myself in the mirror for the rest of my life. It meant more to Martina anyway.

“During the match I missed balls on objective. I hit proper to Martina and after I was getting whipped within the first set 6-0, I attempted to look upset about it. I glanced at my dad. He knew one thing was unsuitable as a result of I by no means obtained nervous and at all times began nice.”

Shortly afterwards, at the age of nineteen, Jaeger decided to call time on her playing career when a major shoulder injury forced her into early retirement. However, instead of persuing a career within the sport she decidede to take an alternative path and began studying to become a nun.

“I simply knew that God existed and that we had been associates and had a private relationship,” the former Wimbledon finalist said. “None of my household knew I prayed day by day of my life.

“In August 2006, I received an associate degree in Ministry Training and Theology. Then I entered a Dominican Sisterhood Programme.

“It’s a strict self-discipline. I wake at 4am, do my prayers and my non secular examine, then I begin work at 5am or 6am fund-raising, scheduling programmes and working these programmes. We have one thing occurring for youngsters someplace on the planet day by day.”

Now at 58-years-old, Jaeger has committed to a life of religious fulfilment, which has included the odd embarassing wardrobe malfunction. She explained: “How usually I put on the nun’s behavior is determined by what I’m doing.

“I have three of them. They get dirty pretty fast. I keep getting the robes stuck in buses and escalators. Once I jumped in a cab and left half of it outside the door. The first week I wore it, at a huge global conference in New York City. A bird went to the bathroom on me.

“I assumed that was God’s approach of claiming, ‘Maybe it is OK to be a bit of muddy on the perimeters – you are the one who used to dive for balls on the tennis court docket.’ I consider I’ll at all times be a Sister. I’ve a pleasure and love of life and it is simpler to specific that on this discipline.”