Former Wimbledon finalist reveals why she quit tennis to become a nun

James Richardson 10 Jul 2023 2:55 PM

Andrea Jaeger former Wimbledon finalist

Former teen tennis sensation Andrea Jaeger has finally opened up on why she suddenly quit tennis and became a nun.

Jaeger revealed that while tennis gave her the potential to make millions of dollars, the systematic abuse she suffered made the decision to walk away feel like the right thing to do.

She was just 14 when she turned professional and reached the Wimbledon final as an 18-year-old, but soon after, she stepped away from the game for good feeling a calling from God.

A shoulder injury provided her with a convenient out from the game and years later Jaeger has opened up on the anguish she was in at the time.

She would use the money she made playing tennis to help abuse victims and, through this work, would be led to a life as a Dominican Nun.

“My parents didn’t go to church. We didn’t have a Bible in the house, but, for whatever reason, I feel God gave me a gift of faith. I always said my prayers when I was little. No one told me to. I didn’t learn in school or from TV.

“I just knew that God existed and that we were friends and had a personal relationship. None of my family knew I prayed every day of my life.”

Tennis certainly suffered a shock when she left the sport.

However, at the time it seemed that everyone agreed that she was a victim of her own early success, burning out young, and even being labelled as a “lost soul” and a “loose cannon”.

A startling 40 years later, Jaeger came out to describe how she had experienced sexual harassment in the locker rooms from a former employee of the Women’s Tennis Association, as well as at least one additional incident involving a third party and being provided alcohol while underage without her knowledge.

The teen’s ‘aggressive demeanour’ also made her a target for practical jokes like having razor blades put inside her shoes. She finally left the game as a result of the abuse in a setting where older men held sway.

Jaeger has no regrets about giving up tennis and is happy in her order even if her official vestments cause her a few hassles.

“How often I wear the nun’s habit depends on what I’m doing,” Jaeger said in an interview with the Daily Star.

“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.

“I believe I’ll always be a Sister. I have a joy and love of life and it’s easier to express that in this field.”