Claudia Kohde-Kilsch

Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (née Kohde; born 11 December 1963) is a former German tennis player and member of the Die Linke. During her tennis career, she won two women's doubles Grand Slam titles. She also won eight singles titles and a total of 25 doubles titles.

Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Country (sports) Germany[1]
Born (1963-12-11) 11 December 1963
Saarbrücken, West Germany
Height1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Turned pro1980
Retired1994
PlaysRight-handed (one handed-backhand)
Prize money$2,227,116
Singles
Career record408–224
Career titles8
Highest rankingNo. 4 (2 September 1985)
Grand Slam Singles results
Australian OpenSF (1985, 1987, 1988)
French OpenSF (1985)
WimbledonQF (1987)
US OpenQF (1985, 1987)
Other tournaments
Olympic Games2R (1988)
Doubles
Career record438–175
Career titles25
Highest rankingNo. 3 (17 August 1987)
Grand Slam Doubles results
Australian OpenF (1982, 1984, 1985)
French OpenF (1984, 1985, 1988)
WimbledonW (1987)
US OpenW (1985)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsF (1983, 1985, 1986(Mar), 1986(Nov), 1987)
Olympic GamesSF (1988)
Team competitions
Fed Cup28–12

Personal life

Kohde-Kilsch was born Claudia Kohde in Saarbrücken, but added the hyphenated "-Kilsch" to her name which came from her adoptive father Jürgen Kilsch, an attorney. She has a younger sister, Katrin. She began playing tennis aged 5, and was soon a rising junior player.

Kohde-Kilsch campaigned for Oskar Lafontaine of Die Linke at the 2012 Saarland state election. With the party winning over 16% of the vote, it was announced that as of 1 May 2012 she would become the new spokesperson for the Landtag parliamentary group.[2]

She currently lives in Saarland with her partner and her son Fynn from her previous marriage with the singer Chris Bennett, fom whom she divorced in 2011. Bennett died in 2018. The couple operated CeKay Music, a music publishing house and production company.

Career

Kohde-Kilsch turned professional on 1 January 1980, and by 1981, she had defeated Martina Navratilova in Oakland. In 1982, she captured the title at Pittsburgh, and in 1984, she triumphed at the German Open, defeating Kathleen Horvath of the United States, 7–6, 6–1.

In 1985, she reached the Australian Open and French Open semifinals as well as won in Los Angeles. Later that year, she defeated Navrátilová in the quarterfinals at the Canadian Open, eventually losing to Chris Evert, 2–6, 4–6 in the final. In 1987, she again reached the finals of the German Open, where she lost to Steffi Graf 2–6, 3–6.

In women's doubles, Kohde-Kilsch and Helena Suková won the 1985 US Open and the 1987 Wimbledon Championships.

Between 1984 and 1987, Kohde-Kilsch and Suková, sometimes referred to as the "twin towers" for their height, won 14 doubles tournaments. At the 1988 Summer Olympics, she partnered with Steffi Graf in the doubles competition, and they won the bronze medal in the event.

Major finals

Women's doubles: 8 (2 titles, 6 runners-up)

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up1982Australian OpenGrass Eva Pfaff Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
4–6, 2–6
Runner-up1984French OpenClay Hana Mandlíková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up1984Australian OpenGrass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up1985French OpenClay Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–4, 2–6, 2–6
Winner1985US OpenHard Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up1985Australian OpenGrass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner1987WimbledonGrass Helena Suková Betsy Nagelsen
Elizabeth Smylie
7–5, 7–5
Runner-up1988French OpenClay Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
2–6, 5–7

Doubles: 1 bronze medal

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Bronze1988SeoulHard Steffi GrafTiedDNP

Graf and Kohde-Kilsch lost in the semifinals to Jana Novotná and Helena Suková 5–7, 3–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal pairs received bronze medals.

Doubles: 5 runners-up

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up1983New YorkCarpet (i) Eva Pfaff Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up1985New YorkCarpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up1986 (Mar.)New YorkCarpet (i) Helena Suková Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6
Runner-up1986 (Nov.)New YorkCarpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Runner-up1987New YorkCarpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
1–6, 1–6

WTA career finals

Singles: 16 (8–8)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
WTA Tour Championships (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV (1–0)
Tier V (1–0)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (6–8)
Finals by surface
Hard (1–1)
Grass (1–0)
Clay (3–4)
Carpet (3–3)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Winner 1. 12 January 1981 Toronto Carpet (i) Nina Bohm 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2. 13 July 1981 Kitzbühel Clay Sylvia Hanika 7–5, 7–6
Winner 3. 25 January 1982 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) Eva Pfaff 6–4, 6–0
Winner 4. 17 March 1982 Austin Carpet (i) Helena Suková 7–6(7–0), 0–6, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 9 April 1984 Hilton Head Island Clay Chris Evert-Lloyd 2–6, 3–6
Winner 5. 14 May 1984 Berlin Clay Kathleen Horvath 7–6(10–8), 6–1
Runner-up 2. 29 October 1984 Zürich Carpet (i) Zina Garrison 1–6, 6–0, 2–6
Runner-up 3. 10 December 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) Manuela Maleeva 6–3, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 6. 29 July 1985 Los Angeles Hard Pam Shriver 6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 4. 5 August 1985 Toronto Hard Chris Evert-Lloyd 2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 5. 13 January 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) Martina Navratilova 6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Runner-up 6. 31 March 1986 Marco Island Clay Chris Evert-Lloyd 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 7. 14 April 1986 Amelia Island Clay Steffi Graf 4–6, 7–5, 6–7(3–7)
Runner-up 8. 11 May 1987 Berlin Clay Steffi Graf 2–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 6 June 1988 Birmingham Grass Pam Shriver 6–1, 6–2
Winner 8. 10 September 1990 Kitzbühel Clay Rachel McQuillan 7–6(7–5), 6–4

Doubles: 64 (25–39)

Winner — Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (2–6)
WTA Tour Championships (0–5)
Tier I (1–2)
Tier II (1–3)
Tier III (0–1)
Tier IV (0–3)
Tier V (2–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (19–18)
Finals by surface
Hard (5–8)
Grass (2–9)
Clay (10–8)
Carpet (8–14)
Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 21 July 1980 Kitzbühel Clay Eva Pfaff Hana Mandlíková
Renáta Tomanová
w/o
Winner 2. 13 July 1981 Kitzbühel Hard Eva Pfaff Elizabeth Little
Yvonne Vermaak
6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 17 May 1982 Berlin Clay Bettina Bunge Liz Gordon
Beverly Mould
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 2. 15 November 1982 Brisbane Grass Eva Pfaff Billie Jean King
Anne Smith
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 22 November 1982 Sydney Grass Eva Pfaff Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 6–2, 6–7
Runner-up 4. 29 November 1982 Australian Open Grass Eva Pfaff Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
4–6, 2–6
Winner 3. 21 February 1983 Oakland Carpet (i) Eva Pfaff Rosie Casals
Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 23 March 1983 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) Eva Pfaff Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 6. 16 May 1983 Berlin Clay Eva Pfaff Jo Durie
Anne Hobbs
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Winner 4. 4 July 1983 Hittfeld Clay Bettina Bunge Ivanna Madruga
Catherine Tanvier
7–5, 6–4
Winner 5. 9 April 1984 Hilton Head Island Clay Hana Mandlíková Anne Hobbs
Sharon Walsh
7–5, 6–2
Winner 6. 23 April 1984 Orlando Clay Hana Mandlíková Anne Hobbs
Wendy Turnbull
6–0, 1–6, 6–3
Runner-up 7. 28 May 1984 French Open Clay Hana Mandlíková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 8. 20 August 1984 Montreal Hard Hana Mandlíková Kathy Jordan
Elizabeth Sayers
1–6, 2–6
Winner 7. 15 October 1984 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Helena Suková Bettina Bunge
Eva Pfaff
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Runner-up 9. 29 October 1984 Zürich Carpet (i) Hana Mandlíková Andrea Leand
Andrea Temesvári
1–6, 3–6
Winner 8. 19 November 1984 Sydney Grass Helena Suková Wendy Turnbull
Sharon Walsh
6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Runner-up 10. 29 November 1984 Australian Open Grass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner 9. 10 December 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) Helena Suková Elizabeth Smylie
Catherine Tanvier
6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 11. 7 January 1985 Washington Carpet (i) Helena Suková Gigi Fernández
Martina Navratilova
3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Runner-up 12. 18 March 1985 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Winner 10. 13 May 1985 Berlin Clay Helena Suková Steffi Graf
Catherine Tanvier
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up 13. 27 May 1985 French Open Clay Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–4, 2–6, 2–6
Winner 11. 29 July 1985 Los Angeles Hard Helena Suková Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 14. 12 August 1985 Mahwah Hard Helena Suková Kathy Jordan
Elizabeth Smylie
6–7(6–8), 3–6
Winner 12. 26 August 1985 US Open Hard Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up 15. 28 October 1985 Zürich Carpet (i) Helena Suková Hana Mandlíková
Andrea Temesvári
4–6, 6–3, 5–7
Runner-up 16. 11 November 1985 Brisbane Grass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
4–6, 7–6(8–6), 1–6
Runner-up 17. 25 November 1985 Australian Open Grass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner 13. 9 December 1985 Tokyo Carpet (i) Helena Suková Marcella Mesker
Elizabeth Smylie
6–0, 6–4
Runner-up 18. 6 January 1986 Washington Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 19. 13 January 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Winner 14. 10 March 1986 Dallas Carpet (i) Helena Suková Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up 20. 17 March 1986 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Helena Suková Hana Mandlíková
Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6
Winner 15. 14 April 1986 Amelia Island Clay Helena Suková Gabriela Sabatini
Catherine Tanvier
6–2, 5–7, 7–6(9–7)
Runner-up 21. 16 June 1986 Eastbourne Grass Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 22. 11 August 1986 Los Angeles Hard Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 23. 3 November 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
5–7, 3–6
Winner 16. 10 November 1986 Chicago Clay Helena Suková Steffi Graf
Gabriela Sabatini
6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–3
Runner-up 24. 17 November 1986 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Winner 17. 30 January 1987 Tokyo Carpet (i) Helena Suková Elise Burgin
Pam Shriver
6–1, 7–6(7–5)
Runner-up 25. 23 February 1987 Key Biscayne Hard Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
3–6, 6–7(6–8)
Runner-up 26. 23 February 1987 Rome Clay Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Gabriela Sabatini
4–6, 1–6
Winner 18. 11 May 1987 Berlin Clay Helena Suková Catarina Lindqvist
Tine Scheuer-Larsen
6–1, 6–2
Winner 19. 22 June 1987 Wimbledon Grass Helena Suková Betsy Nagelsen
Elizabeth Smylie
7–5, 7–5
Runner-up 27. 17 August 1987 Toronto Hard Helena Suková Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
1–6, 2–6
Winner 20. 21 September 1987 Hamburg Clay Jana Novotná Natalia Bykova
Leila Meskhi
7–6(7–1), 7–6(8–6)
Winner 21. 9 November 1987 Chicago Carpet (i) Helena Suková Zina Garrison
Lori McNeil
6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 28. 16 November 1987 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
1–6, 1–6
Runner-up 29. 28 December 1987 Brisbane Grass Helena Suková Betsy Nagelsen
Pam Shriver
6–2, 5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 30. 4 January 1988 Sydney Grass Helena Suková Ann Henricksson
Christiane Jolissaint
6–7(5–7), 6–4, 3–6
Runner-up 31. 7 March 1988 Boca Raton Hard Helena Suková Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
6–4, 5–7, 4–6
Runner-up 32. 4 April 1988 Hilton Head Island Clay Gabriela Sabatini Lori McNeil
Martina Navratilova
2–6, 6–2, 3–6
Runner-up 33. 9 May 1988 Berlin Clay Helena Suková Isabelle Demongeot
Nathalie Tauziat
2–6, 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up 34. 23 May 1988 French Open Clay Helena Suková Martina Navratilova
Pam Shriver
2–6, 5–7
Runner-up 35. 17 October 1988 Zürich Carpet (i) Helena Suková Isabelle Demongeot
Nathalie Tauziat
3–6, 3–6
Winner 22. 28 November 1988 Adelaide Hard Sylvia Hanika Jana Novotná
Lori McNeil
7–5, 6–7(4–7), 6–4
Runner-up 36. 30 January 1989 Tokyo Carpet (i) Mary Joe Fernández Katrina Adams
Zina Garrison
3–6, 6–3, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up 37. 7 August 1989 Los Angeles Hard Mary Joe Fernández Martina Navratilova
Wendy Turnbull
2–5 ret.
Winner 23. 4 February 1991 Oslo Carpet (i) Silke Meier Sabine Appelmans
Raffaella Reggi
3–6, 6–2, 6–4
Winner 24. 1 April 1991 Hilton Head Island Clay Natasha Zvereva Mary-Lou Daniels
Lise Gregory
6–4, 6–0
Runner-up 38. 5 August 1991 Toronto Hard Helena Suková Larisa Savchenko
Natasha Zvereva
6–1, 5–7, 2–6
Winner 25. 24 February 1992 Indian Wells Hard Stephanie Rehe Jill Hetherington
Kathy Rinaldi
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 39. 28 September 1992 Bayonne Carpet (i) Stephanie Rehe Linda Ferrando
Petra Langrová
6–1, 3–6, 4–6

Grand Slam performance timeline

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# A NH
(W) Won; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (A) absent; (NH) not held. SR=strike rate (events won/competed)

Singles

Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992Career SR
Australian Open 1R 1R 3R 3R 3R SF NH SF SF QF 1R 1R 2R 0 / 12
French Open 1R 1R 2R 3R 4R SF 4R QF 3R 1R 2R 2R 1R 0 / 13
Wimbledon A 2R 4R 4R 4R 2R 3R QF A 3R 3R 3R 2R 0 / 11
US Open A 1R 3R 2R 4R QF 4R QF 3R 1R A 1R A 0 / 10
SR 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 46
Year End Ranking 78 20 19 24 8 5 7 10 12 36 46 78 79

Doubles

Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989199019911992Career SR
Australian Open QF 1R F 1R F F NH SF A 3R A 1R 3R 0 / 10
French Open 1R SF QF QF F F SF SF F 1R QF 3R 1R 0 / 13
Wimbledon A 1R SF QF QF SF 2R W A 3R 2R 3R 3R 1 / 11
US Open A QF SF A 3R W QF QF 3R A A QF A 1 / 8
SR 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 1 / 4 0 / 3 1 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 2 / 42
Year End Ranking 5 4 3 3 8 37 52 24 25

References

  1. before German reunification, she played for West Germany
  2. "Lafontaine: Claudia Kohde-Kilsch wird seine Sprecherin". Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). 30 April 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.