Andrea Jaeger Admits to Taking a Dive at '83 Wimbledon Final Against Martina Navratilova

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This is what happens when teenage precociousness and immaturity cross paths with one of the world's best tennis players: in a recent interview, Andrea Jaeger admitted that she purposely lost to Martina Navratilova at the 1983 Wimbledon final.

"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."

Apparently, Jaeger, 18 at the time, had an argument with her father the afternoon before the final, fled the home they were renting and ran next door to call a taxi. Funny thing: that's where Navratilova was staying.

"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."

After the bizarre encounter, Jaeger decided that "I've changed her routine and affected her. I can't go out and try in the final now," and there's your 6-0, 6-3 final.

Twenty-five years later, Jaeger, now a nun, admits that it would've been difficult to sit idly by as a raving teenager ran through her home, but even still, "Martina missed her chance to help her neighbour who was suffering in order to fulfil her desire, so I had to make it right. I gave up my desire to give someone their help."

Interestingly, Phil Mickelson uses a variation of this story to explain the 2006 U.S. Open.

Hat tip: Fark

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

7-06-2008 @ 11:20AM

LP said...

This story doesn't make a lot of sense. Not to attack people of the cloth, but was she going to beat Martina Navratilova anyway?

7-06-2008 @ 11:21AM

KJR said...

Oh, you worthy lamb of God ... nobly sacrificing yourself in an act of tender mercy to help poor, lost Martina.

This is twisted on so many levels it's hard to know where to begin.

If you were an immature teenager angry at your father and decided to tank your finals match at Wimbledon, this is not an act of Christian charity, and reflects on no one but you. I'm sure it had no effect on the result of the match. It's misguided and classless to attempt to detract from another's accomplishment achieved so many years ago.

If you want to express regret that you missed an opportunity to give your best effort at a crucial moment, and reflect on your own growing pains, that's a different matter. viz. "She was a great champion, and it was an honor to play her. I didn't play very well that day. I was angry at my father, and didn't focus as well as I should have. I wish I could have given my opponent and the fans a better match." Everyone can sympathize with that.

Sounds like Sister Andrea still has some issues ... the same issues that perhaps led her to seek a life of structure and simplicity in the cloister. Hey, good luck with that.

7-06-2008 @ 1:22PM

Gregory E Wright said...

I'd still do her.

7-06-2008 @ 3:45PM

robert agolia said...

this story sounds fishy to me!

7-06-2008 @ 4:50PM

Ajarianne said...

"Funny thing: that's where Navratilova was staying"

Sounds like the divine Ms. Jeager had alterior motives than just having a fight with her dad. She knew Navratilova was staying there and I think it would take more than a sniveling teenager to interrupt my prep for a Major Final. Otherwise I think Martina would've helped. Andrea probably went there to extort cash for her Delusions of Grandeur of her chances of winning. Better she should've gotten over her fight and prepped herself. Loser.

7-06-2008 @ 4:57PM

CHERRI said...

She would have still lost no matter what even if I believed her

7-06-2008 @ 4:58PM

Cherri Murphy said...

SHE STILL WOULD HAVE LOST, IF I BELIEVED HER WHICH I DON'T!!!!!!!

7-06-2008 @ 4:59PM

Wilbur said...

Oh please! She ran next door to where Martina (known lesbian) was staying with her "trainer" Nancy Lieberman (known lesbian) to "call a taxi". And now she's a NUN? Uh yeah, we all know what she ran next door for. She apparantly was rebuffed though. She then threw the match giving Martina the win. Sounds like love to me!

7-06-2008 @ 5:06PM

Kenny1960 said...

HMMMMMMMMMM....Funny this comes out when all eyes are at Wimbldon,,,She sucks

7-06-2008 @ 5:55PM

Incasunrise44 said...

SO WHY IS SHE TELLING THIS STORY NOW?I SMELL A BOOK deal coming

7-06-2008 @ 7:11PM

bob said...

smells fishy to me

BOB said...

7-06-2008 @ 7:43PM

Samantha said...

I agree with Wilbur. There's more to her motive to go next door. Not that she wanted a date, but she related in some way to the lesbians next door enough to embroil them in her conflict with her father. Apparently she never resolved her sexuality issues because she took the traditional "opt out" clause and became a nun. Ok, it's not 1950, you don't have to do that anymore. Too bad Martina couldn't help her, but that's kind of an inside job. As far as the match, Martina would have won anyway.

7-07-2008 @ 12:05AM

john said...

No one cared about Andrea Yeager back then, much less in 2008. Spare Us.

7-09-2008 @ 10:05PM

Chris said...

Maybe she wanted to give herself an excuse for losing before the match began, fearful of being beaten.

If she threw it based on some saintly (and rather patronising) reasoning, she'd feel much less hurt during the following years for being beaten because she could always tell herself that she didn't even try to win.

It wouldn't be the first time that an overly Christian type has copped out of a challenge.

I don't blame Martina for ignoring the episode. She probably knew exactly what was likely to happen.

7-12-2008 @ 3:13PM

chris said...

i always thought she may have been gay...i remember reading a story about her chasing another players car...chrissie? im not sure....i think she was a mixed up kid....i feel bad for her...but shes also done great things for sick kids....lets not forget that..... but this story makes no sense at all...martina was killing chris at wimbledon....i dont think andrea would have even gotten to the final if chrissie hadnt tumbled out to kathy jordan with food poisoning....