Ex-tennis player Andrea Jaeger says she was sexually harassed ‘at least 30 times’ by WTA employee
Former tennis player Andrea Jaeger, a two-time Grand Slam singles finalist, said an interview with The Independent that she was sexually harassed “at least 30 times” in the women’s locker room during her career by a Women's Tennis Association staff member.
Jaeger, now 57, also said that she was unknowingly served alcohol when she was 16 during a post-tournament party by a different WTA staff member, who then drove her home and tried to kiss her.
“[At tournaments] I’d change in portable toilets or a bathroom stall because I didn’t want to deal with the comments, the interest or actions of people,” Jaeger said.
“I had at least 30 incidents with one specific non-playing staff member, physical attempts all in the locker room very, very early in my career. That particular non-playing staff employee had a major issue keeping her hands to herself.
“I avoided being in training rooms alone because an approach was made on me there as well.”
Jaeger says another time she was served three alcoholic drinks following the WTA Championships in 1982 and added when she complained to the WTA they did nothing.
“I said this has got to stop. Every week I have to worry about this (expletive),” Jaeger 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.”
Jaeger also said that there were inappropriate relationships throughout the sport.
“There was a physical therapist who was in a relationship with one of the players,” Jaeger said. “I had a groin injury, a muscle strain, and should have got it examined but I didn’t want to get treated by that person. All these unethical situations are something that a 14- to-19-year-old should never be dealing with.”
Jaeger quit the sport at age 19 because of a shoulder injury in 1982. She got the French Open final in 1982 and Wimbledon in 1983, and reached a high rank of No. 2 in 1981.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Andrea Jaeger says she was sexually harassed by WTA employee
