I played in Australian Open semi-final at 17 and earned millions as a tennis star – but I quit to become a nun

ANDREA JAEGER reached the semi-final of the Australian Open in 1982 at just 17 years of age.

The American didn’t progress to the final of the tournament after losing to tennis great Chris Evert in straight sets.

Andrea Jaeger came runner-up to Martina Navratilova at the 1982 Women’s French OpenGETTY

Jaeger was also a Wimbledon finalist in 1982GETTY

The starlet faced Evert in the semi-final of the US Open in 1982 as well but was knocked out at the same stage by the later champion.

Jaeger was a child prodigy in the sport, mixing it with the very best after turning pro as a 14-year-old.

She reached two Grand Slam finals as a teen before she quit tennis aged 19 in 1985.

Jaeger won the mixed doubles title at the French Open alongside Jimmy Arias in 1981, before reaching the singles final at Roland Garros a year later.

She fell 7-6, 6-1 to Martina Navratilova on that occasion, before going on to lose to her again, this time 6-1, 6-1, in the Wimbledon final as an 18-year-old a year later.

The starlet reached No2 in the WTA rankings, but was forced to retire from the sport as a 19-year-old in 1985 due to a shoulder injury.

Jaeger earned over £1million in prize money during her short career, and plenty more in endorsements.

Following her retirement, she dedicated her life to helping others.

In 1990, she set up the Silver Lining Foundation, providing care to kids with cancer.

Immediately after hanging up her racquet, she went to college to study theology and ministry training – going on to become a nun.

Jaeger explained her career change in a 2008 interview with the Mail, saying: “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.

Jaeger became a nun after retiring from tennis aged 19GETTY

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

“It’s a strict discipline. I wake at 4am, do my prayers and my spiritual study, then I start work at 5am or 6am fund-raising, scheduling programmes and running those programmes.

“We have something happening for children somewhere in the world every day.

“How often I wear the nun’s habit depends on 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 thought that was God’s way of saying, ‘Maybe it’s OK to be a little muddy on the edges – you’re the one who used to dive for balls on the tennis court.’

“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.”

In a hard-hitting interview with the Independent in 2022, Jaeger opened up on the harassment she faced as a teenager on the WTA Tour.

She said: “I had situations where I’d go to get my racquet and the strings would be cut. When I went to put on my shoes, someone had left razor blades inside them.”

Jaeger went on to reveal that she stopped getting changed in the locker room because of the treatment she received.

And she also told of being sexually harassed by an unnamed WTA staff member, who is no longer with the organisation, after being forced to drink alcohol at a sponsors’ event.

Jaeger said: “I went with her and her girlfriend in the car. 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.”