Claudia Kohde-Kilsch

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Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Claudia Kohde-Kilsch 2012-03-16.JPG
Country (sports) Germany[1]
Born (1963-12-11) 11 December 1963 (age 58)
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
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Seoul Doubles

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.

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, from whom she divorced in 2011. Bennett died in 2018. The couple operated , 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[]

Grand Slam tournaments[]

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

Outcome Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1982 Australian Open Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 1984 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 1984 Australian Open Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 1985 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–4, 2–6, 2–6
Winner 1985 US Open Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up 1985 Australian Open Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner 1987 Wimbledon Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Betsy Nagelsen
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
7–5, 7–5
Runner-up 1988 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
2–6, 5–7

Olympics[]

Doubles: 1 bronze medal[]

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Bronze 1988 Seoul Hard West Germany Steffi Graf Tied DNP

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.

Year-end championships[]

Doubles: 5 runners-up[]

Outcome Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Runner-up 1983 New York Carpet (i) West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 1985 New York Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up 1986 (Mar.) New York Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6
Runner-up 1986 (Nov.) New York Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Runner-up 1987 New York Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States 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) Sweden Nina Bohm 4–6, 6–2, 7–5
Winner 2. 13 July 1981 Kitzbühel Clay West Germany Sylvia Hanika 7–5, 7–6
Winner 3. 25 January 1982 Pittsburgh Carpet (i) West Germany Eva Pfaff 6–4, 6–0
Winner 4. 17 March 1982 Austin Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková 7–6(7–0), 0–6, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 9 April 1984 Hilton Head Island Clay United States Chris Evert-Lloyd 2–6, 3–6
Winner 5. 14 May 1984 Berlin Clay United States Kathleen Horvath 7–6(10–8), 6–1
Runner-up 2. 29 October 1984 Zürich Carpet (i) United States Zina Garrison 1–6, 6–0, 2–6
Runner-up 3. 10 December 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) Bulgaria Manuela Maleeva 6–3, 4–6, 4–6
Winner 6. 29 July 1985 Los Angeles Hard United States Pam Shriver 6–2, 6–4
Runner-up 4. 5 August 1985 Toronto Hard United States Chris Evert-Lloyd 2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 5. 13 January 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) United States Martina Navratilova 6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Runner-up 6. 31 March 1986 Marco Island Clay United States Chris Evert-Lloyd 4–6, 2–6
Runner-up 7. 14 April 1986 Amelia Island Clay West Germany Steffi Graf 4–6, 7–5, 6–7(3–7)
Runner-up 8. 11 May 1987 Berlin Clay West Germany Steffi Graf 2–6, 3–6
Winner 7. 6 June 1988 Birmingham Grass United States Pam Shriver 6–1, 6–2
Winner 8. 10 September 1990 Kitzbühel Clay Australia 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 West Germany Eva Pfaff Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Czechoslovakia Renáta Tomanová
w/o
Winner 2. 13 July 1981 Kitzbühel Hard West Germany Eva Pfaff Australia Elizabeth Little
South Africa Yvonne Vermaak
6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 1. 17 May 1982 Berlin Clay West Germany Bettina Bunge South Africa Liz Gordon
South Africa Beverly Mould
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 2. 15 November 1982 Brisbane Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Billie Jean King
United States Anne Smith
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 3. 22 November 1982 Sydney Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 6–2, 6–7
Runner-up 4. 29 November 1982 Australian Open Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 2–6
Winner 3. 21 February 1983 Oakland Carpet (i) West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Rosie Casals
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 4–6, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 23 March 1983 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) West Germany Eva Pfaff United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 6. 16 May 1983 Berlin Clay West Germany Eva Pfaff United Kingdom Jo Durie
United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Winner 4. 4 July 1983 Hittfeld Clay West Germany Bettina Bunge Argentina Ivanna Madruga
France Catherine Tanvier
7–5, 6–4
Winner 5. 9 April 1984 Hilton Head Island Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
United States Sharon Walsh
7–5, 6–2
Winner 6. 23 April 1984 Orlando Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–0, 1–6, 6–3
Runner-up 7. 28 May 1984 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Runner-up 8. 20 August 1984 Montreal Hard Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United States Kathy Jordan
Australia Elizabeth Sayers
1–6, 2–6
Winner 7. 15 October 1984 Filderstadt Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková West Germany Bettina Bunge
West Germany Eva Pfaff
6–2, 4–6, 6–3
Runner-up 9. 29 October 1984 Zürich Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková United States Andrea Leand
Hungary Andrea Temesvári
1–6, 3–6
Winner 8. 19 November 1984 Sydney Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Australia Wendy Turnbull
United States Sharon Walsh
6–2, 7–6(7–4)
Runner-up 10. 29 November 1984 Australian Open Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner 9. 10 December 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Australia Elizabeth Smylie
France Catherine Tanvier
6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 11. 7 January 1985 Washington Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Gigi Fernández
United States Martina Navratilova
3–6, 6–3, 3–6
Runner-up 12. 18 March 1985 Virginia Slims Championships Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Winner 10. 13 May 1985 Berlin Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková West Germany Steffi Graf
France Catherine Tanvier
6–4, 6–1
Runner-up 13. 27 May 1985 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–4, 2–6, 2–6
Winner 11. 29 July 1985 Los Angeles Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
6–4, 6–2
Runner-up 14. 12 August 1985 Mahwah Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Kathy Jordan
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
6–7(6–8), 3–6
Winner 12. 26 August 1985 US Open Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–3
Runner-up 15. 28 October 1985 Zürich Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Hungary Andrea Temesvári
4–6, 6–3, 5–7
Runner-up 16. 11 November 1985 Brisbane Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 7–6(8–6), 1–6
Runner-up 17. 25 November 1985 Australian Open Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Winner 13. 9 December 1985 Tokyo Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Netherlands Marcella Mesker
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
6–0, 6–4
Runner-up 18. 6 January 1986 Washington Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 4–6
Runner-up 19. 13 January 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Winner 14. 10 March 1986 Dallas Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–5, 6–4
Runner-up 20. 17 March 1986 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6
Winner 15. 14 April 1986 Amelia Island Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Argentina Gabriela Sabatini
France Catherine Tanvier
6–2, 5–7, 7–6(9–7)
Runner-up 21. 16 June 1986 Eastbourne Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
2–6, 4–6
Runner-up 22. 11 August 1986 Los Angeles Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Runner-up 23. 3 November 1986 Worcester Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 3–6
Winner 16. 10 November 1986 Chicago Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková West Germany Steffi Graf
Argentina Gabriela Sabatini
6–7(5–7), 7–6(7–5), 6–3
Runner-up 24. 17 November 1986 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Winner 17. 30 January 1987 Tokyo Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Elise Burgin
United States Pam Shriver
6–1, 7–6(7–5)
Runner-up 25. 23 February 1987 Key Biscayne Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 6–7(6–8)
Runner-up 26. 23 February 1987 Rome Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
Argentina Gabriela Sabatini
4–6, 1–6
Winner 18. 11 May 1987 Berlin Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Sweden Catarina Lindqvist
Denmark Tine Scheuer-Larsen
6–1, 6–2
Winner 19. 22 June 1987 Wimbledon Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Betsy Nagelsen
Australia Elizabeth Smylie
7–5, 7–5
Runner-up 27. 17 August 1987 Toronto Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Zina Garrison
United States Lori McNeil
1–6, 2–6
Winner 20. 21 September 1987 Hamburg Clay Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná Soviet Union Natalia Bykova
Soviet Union Leila Meskhi
7–6(7–1), 7–6(8–6)
Winner 21. 9 November 1987 Chicago Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Zina Garrison
United States Lori McNeil
6–4, 6–3
Runner-up 28. 16 November 1987 Virginia Slims Championship Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
1–6, 1–6
Runner-up 29. 28 December 1987 Brisbane Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Betsy Nagelsen
United States Pam Shriver
6–2, 5–7, 2–6
Runner-up 30. 4 January 1988 Sydney Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Ann Henricksson
Switzerland Christiane Jolissaint
6–7(5–7), 6–4, 3–6
Runner-up 31. 7 March 1988 Boca Raton Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Katrina Adams
United States Zina Garrison
6–4, 5–7, 4–6
Runner-up 32. 4 April 1988 Hilton Head Island Clay Argentina Gabriela Sabatini United States Lori McNeil
United States Martina Navratilova
2–6, 6–2, 3–6
Runner-up 33. 9 May 1988 Berlin Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková France Isabelle Demongeot
France Nathalie Tauziat
2–6, 6–4, 4–6
Runner-up 34. 23 May 1988 French Open Clay Czechoslovakia Helena Suková United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
2–6, 5–7
Runner-up 35. 17 October 1988 Zürich Carpet (i) Czechoslovakia Helena Suková France Isabelle Demongeot
France Nathalie Tauziat
3–6, 3–6
Winner 22. 28 November 1988 Adelaide Hard West Germany Sylvia Hanika Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
United States Lori McNeil
7–5, 6–7(4–7), 6–4
Runner-up 36. 30 January 1989 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Mary Joe Fernández United States Katrina Adams
United States Zina Garrison
3–6, 6–3, 6–7(5–7)
Runner-up 37. 7 August 1989 Los Angeles Hard United States Mary Joe Fernández United States Martina Navratilova
Australia Wendy Turnbull
2–5 ret.
Winner 23. 4 February 1991 Oslo Carpet (i) Germany Silke Meier Belgium Sabine Appelmans
Italy Raffaella Reggi
3–6, 6–2, 6–4
Winner 24. 1 April 1991 Hilton Head Island Clay Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva United States Mary-Lou Daniels
South Africa Lise Gregory
6–4, 6–0
Runner-up 38. 5 August 1991 Toronto Hard Czechoslovakia Helena Suková Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
Soviet Union Natasha Zvereva
6–1, 5–7, 2–6
Winner 25. 24 February 1992 Indian Wells Hard United States Stephanie Rehe Canada Jill Hetherington
United States Kathy Rinaldi
6–3, 6–3
Runner-up 39. 28 September 1992 Bayonne Carpet (i) United States Stephanie Rehe Italy Linda Ferrando
Czechoslovakia Petra Langrová
6–1, 3–6, 4–6

Grand Slam performance timelines[]

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

Singles[]

Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Career 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[]

Tournament 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Career 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.

External links[]

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