An American player who quit tennis and became a nun due to sexual harassment: The story of 2-time Grand Slam finalist Andrea Jaeger

Andrea Jaeger had a tennis career that lasted just five years, from 1980 to 1985. Within this short span, however, the American rose to as high as World No. 2 in the WTA rankings and reached two Grand Slam finals -- at the 1982 French Open and the 1983 Wimbledon, losing to Martina Navratilova on both occasions.

These days, however, she is known as Sister Andrea, having given her life to philanthropy, theology and public service. A member of the Episcopal church, Jaeger is also the founder of the 'Little Star Foundation,' which provides long-term care to children in need and those afflicted with cancer.

What drove her away from tennis and into a life of nunhood? Among other things, it was the allegedly rampant sexual harassment she had to put up with.

Having kickstarted her professional career at the age of just 14, Jaeger suffered from a lack of protection in the WTA at the time. She recounted her ordeal with some horror in an interview with The Independent last year.

As the former World No. 2 recalled, she would change clothes in portable toilets or bathrooms instead of the locker-room during tournaments because she did not want to deal with adults who did not have any qualms with being verbally or physically inappropriate with her.

“I’d change in portable toilets or a bathroom stall because I didn’t want to deal with the comments, interest or actions of people,” she said. “Someone recognised me at the US Open once and asked what I was doing, so I just said a pipe was broken in the locker room. There was always the concern I may have to deal with an adult who had problems with being either verbally or physically inappropriate with me.”

One incident in particular stood out for the two-time Grand Slam runner-up, where she was served alcohol against her wishes by an unnamed WTA staff member. The staff member, who then insisted that she give her a ride home, also tried kissing her on the way to the door.

That sickened Andrea Jaeger so much that she had to crawl up the stairs trying not to throw up.

“I went with her and her girlfriend in the car,” she says. “The person was swaying driving and I remember we hit either some garbage or a mailbox. When we got to my condo, she walked me to the door and tried something on with me. She was trying to kiss me. I was so sickened that I was crawling up the stairs inside trying not to throw up so my dad wouldn’t see me.”

The tennis star further revealed that she had even taken up the matter with higher-ups in the organization. But instead of coming to her defense, they threatened to make life hell for her and her sister if she continued to talk about the matter.

Andrea Jaeger also stated that her parents were owed the right to feel that their children were safe under the care of the tennis body they had entrusted them to -- a right they never received till the end.

“I said this has got to stop. Every week I have to worry about this s***,” she said. “They said if you say one more word about this, we’ll make sure your sister’s scholarship at Stanford gets pulled. Every time I tried to stand up for myself, I was threatened with someone else getting harmed."

“Do you know how hard it is to tell an adult in an industry that there’s a problem, how much courage that took? My parents were owed the right that if you put a kid on the court late at night or you’re going to have a WTA Tour representative drive them home, they’re going to be safe. They were owed that right and never got that right,” she added.

"I had a problem trying to keep myself safe and sane at the same time" - Former tennis player Andrea Jaeger

Andrea Jaeger (Far Left) at a press conference

Andrea Jaeger went on to state in the interview that when she announced to the tennis world that she was calling it a day, many mistakenly thought she could not handle the pressure. But the American, who prided herself on her ability to even "play tennis in a tornado" if the need arose, made it clear that her only problem was her inability to keep herself safe and sane on the tennis tour at that point in her life.

“Parents don’t assume a successful organisation could have these sorts of people, and when kids are put in those situations, normally they don’t say things and I didn’t,” Andrea Jaeger said.

“My story was that she couldn’t handle the pressure... I could play in a tornado and still win a match. I never had a problem with pressure. I had a problem trying to keep myself safe and sane at the same time,” she added.