Andrea Jaeger in SI

[dirtballer]

There's a nice Q&A with Andrea Jaeger in this week's Sports Illustrated. For many years she worked with seriously ill children and now she's a Dominican nun. They have a picture of her in her habit. She seems to be content with her life. It's quite a change from her days as a Wimbledon finalist.

[Gundam]

Thanks for the post.

Since she disappeared so quickly, I haven't had any opportunity to see her tennis (I just know that she has been called female Connors or Pancho). But I've read some great articles about her life and activity. Isn't she great?

I wonder what kind of game she played? Wasn't she playing around early 80s, era of Evert, Navratilova and Austin?

[LttlElvis]

Wow, I never realized she became a nun. I do remember seeing her on a show describing how she has been using her time to help children.

As far as her game, she was a very steady baseliner. A moonballer. I thought all moonballers during her time were very boring, but she was watchable. I think part of it was her age. She was very young and it was amazing to see someone her age do well. Another thing is that she was a real fighter. Never gave up.

It was amazing that with her game, she actually made it to a Wimbledon final. Lost to Navratilova.

She used a Wilson PWS. I believe she was one of the first female grand slam finalists to use a standard sized graphite racquet. Lost to Navratilova in the French 1982.

I need to get that issue of SI. After seeing that HBO segment on her, she seemed like a great person.

[Moose Malloy]

here's a more in-depth article:

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/478950p-402747c.html

I didn't know she was so close to becoming #1.

[mctennis]

I wish her well. She feels she has a calling and I am glad she is following it. How many of us feel that strongly that we follow our dream/ calling and do something about it?

[AJK1]

I wouldn't call her tanking compassion, i would call it weakness. She wasn't good enough and it got to her obviously. She's not a strong person, you can tell by the way she describes things in her story. losing to her sister on purpose, everything that happens is because of god etc. actually gives her security, as she doesn't want to have the responsibility of dealing with things on her own. She would be a psychologists field day.

[LttlElvis]

Well said AJK1. It's like you read my mind.

Although I am impressed and do appreciate what she is doing now, I found it disappointing that she said she tanked those matches. If she said she choked because the pressure got to her, that would be another story.

I do remember when she got to the Wimbledon final. She played so well the whole tournament, I thought she would have at least given her a better match. She looked terrible that day and it was a shock.

As for losing to her sister, I never knew she tanked those also. I always thought it was plausible because they were siblings who knew each others game so well, that the older one just always had her number. Similar to Michael Changs brother beating him consistently but not being able to beat other pros.

[goober]

. Similar to Michael Changs brother beating him consistently but not being able to beat other pros.

I don't remember Carl Chang being able to consistently beat Michael. I think that last time he beat him in an official match was CIF Championships in 1987 when Michael was like 14.

[LttlElvis]

I think Michael said in practice his brother used to beat him. Perhaps just friendly sibling rivalry.

[Deuce]

I wouldn't call her tanking compassion, i would call it weakness. She wasn't good enough and it got to her obviously. She's not a strong person, you can tell by the way she describes things in her story. losing to her sister on purpose, everything that happens is because of god etc. actually gives her security, as she doesn't want to have the responsibility of dealing with things on her own. She would be a psychologists field day.
That may be a touch harsh.
I'm not a fan of religion, or 'god-talk' myself - but I can appreciate sincere compassion.

I just wonder why so few people can be caring and compassionate to this degree of their own volition, without "doing God's work", or "serving the Lord", etc.

http://www.silverliningfoundation.org/welcome.htm (http://www.silverliningfoundation.org/welcome.htm)

[eunjam]

I wouldn't call her tanking compassion, i would call it weakness. She wasn't good enough and it got to her obviously. She's not a strong person, you can tell by the way she describes things in her story. losing to her sister on purpose, everything that happens is because of god etc. actually gives her security, as she doesn't want to have the responsibility of dealing with things on her own. She would be a psychologists field day.

how was your life when you were 17?

i guess you weren't weak at all and were/still are just bad ass.

you rule man.

you are my new god.

can i send you a check?

[Deuce]

how was your life when you were 17?

Good point.