London, July 5: Andrea Jaeger said in an interview with a British newspaper that she purposely lost the 1983 Wimbledon final to Martina Navratilova.
Jaeger turned professional at 14 and retired five years later after blowing out her shoulder in the 1985 French Open. She became a nun in 2006, and said she threw the 1983 final in an interview published in The Daily Mail.
“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.”
Jaeger said she got into an argument with her father the afternoon before the final and fled the house. She said she went next door to where Navratilova was staying in order to call a taxi.
“I was upset and kept pounding on the door and ringing the bell until Martina’s trainer, Nancy Lieberman, opened the door,” 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.
