Claudia Kohde-Kilsch

Claudia Kohde-Kilsch (Template: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.

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 CeKay Music, a music publishing house and production company.

Pro tennis 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.

Grand Slam tournament finals

Doubles: 8 (2 titles, 6 runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponent	Score
Loss	1982	Australian Open	Grass	Template:Flagicon Eva Pfaff	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	4–6, 2–6
Loss	1984	French Open	Clay	Template:Flagicon Hana Mandlíková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	7–5, 3–6, 2–6
Loss	1984	Australian Open	Grass	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	3–6, 4–6
Loss	1985	French Open	Clay	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	6–4, 2–6, 2–6
Win	1985	US Open	Hard	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	6–7(5–7), 6–2, 6–3
Loss	1985	Australian Open	Grass	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	3–6, 4–6
Win	1987	Wimbledon	Grass	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Betsy Nagelsen Template:Flagicon Elizabeth Smylie	7–5, 7–5
Loss	1988	French Open	Clay	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	2–6, 5–7

Olympic Games

Doubles: 1 (bronze)

Result	Year	Location	Surface	Partner	Opponents	Score
Bronze	1988	Seoul	Hard	Template:Flagicon Steffi Graf	N.A.	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.

Other significant finals

Year-end championships

Doubles: 5 (runner-ups)

Result	Year	Championship	Surface	Partner	Opponent	Score
Loss	1983	New York	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Eva Pfaff	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	5–7, 2–6
Loss	1985	New York	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	7–6(7–4), 4–6, 6–7(5–7)
Loss	1986(Mar)	New York	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Hana Mandlíková Template:Flagicon Wendy Turnbull	4–6, 7–6(7–4), 3–6
Loss	1986(Nov)	New York	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	6–7(1–7), 3–6
Loss	1987	New York	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	1–6, 1–6

WTA Tour finals

Singles: 16 (8–8)

Winner – Legend Grand Slam tournaments (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)

Result	No.	Date	Tournament	Surface	Opponent	Score
Win	1.	Jan 1981	Toronto, Canada	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Nina Bohm	4–6, 6–2, 7–5
Win	2.	Jul 1981	Kitzbühel, Austria	Clay	Template:Flagicon Sylvia Hanika	7–5, 7–6
Win	3.	Jan 1982	Pittsburgh, US	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Eva Pfaff	6–4, 6–0
Win	4.	Mar 1982	Austin, US	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Helena Suková	7–6(7–0), 0–6, 6–3
Loss	1.	Apr 1984	Hilton Head, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert-Lloyd	2–6, 3–6
Win	5.	May 1984	Berlin West Germany	Clay	Template:Flagicon Kathleen Horvath	7–6(10–8), 6–1
Loss	2.	Oct 1984	Zürich, Switzerland	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Zina Garrison	1–6, 6–0, 2–6
Loss	3.	Dec 1984	Tokyo, Japan	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Manuela Maleeva	6–3, 4–6, 4–6
Win	6.	Jul 1985	Los Angeles, US	Hard	Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	6–2, 6–4
Loss	4.	Aug 1985	Toronto, Canada	Hard	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert-Lloyd	2–6, 4–6
Loss	5.	Jan 1986	Worcester, UK	Carpet (i)	Template:Flagicon Martina Navratilova	6–4, 1–6, 4–6
Loss	6.	Mar 1986	Marco Island, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Chris Evert-Lloyd	4–6, 2–6
Loss	7.	Apr 1986	Amelia Island, US	Clay	Template:Flagicon Steffi Graf	4–6, 7–5, 6–7(3–7)
Loss	8.	May 1987	Berlin, West Germany	Clay	Template:Flagicon Steffi Graf	2–6, 3–6
Win	7.	Jun 1988	Birmingham, UK	Grass	Template:Flagicon Pam Shriver	6–1, 6–2
Win	8.	Sept 1990	Kitzbühel, Austria	Clay	Template:Flagicon 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)

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

Performance timelines

Singles

Tournament	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986		1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	SR	W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	1R	1R	3R	3R	3R	SF	NH		SF	SF	QF	1R	1R	2R	0 / 12	24–12
French Open	1R	1R	2R	3R	4R	SF	4R		QF	3R	1R	2R	2R	1R	0 / 13	21–13
Wimbledon	A	2R	4R	4R	4R	2R	3R		QF	A	3R	3R	3R	2R	0 / 11	24–11
US Open	A	1R	3R	2R	4R	QF	4R		QF	3R	1R	A	1R	A	0 / 10	19–10
Win–loss	0–2	1–4	7–4	8–4	11–4	14–4	8–3		16–4	9–3	6–4	3–3	3–4	3–3	0 / 46	88–46
Year-end championships
WTA Championships	did not qualify					1R	QF	QF	1R	1R	did not qualify				0 / 5	2–5
Career statistics
Year-end ranking	78	20	19	22	8	5	7		10	12	36	46	78	79

Doubles

Tournament	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986		1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	SR	W–L
Grand Slam tournaments
Australian Open	QF	1R	F	1R	F	F	NH		SF	A	3R	A	1R	3R	0 / 10	21–9
French Open	1R	SF	QF	QF	F	F	SF		SF	F	1R	QF	3R	1R	0 / 13	37–13
Wimbledon	A	1R	SF	QF	QF	SF	2R		W	A	3R	2R	3R	3R	1 / 11	26–10
US Open	A	QF	SF	A	3R	W	QF		QF	3R	A	A	QF	A	1 / 8	26–7
Win–loss	2–2	7–4	13–4	5–2	14–4	19–3	8–3		16–3	7–2	4–3	4–2	7–4	4–3	2 / 42	110–39
Year-end championships
WTA Championships	did not qualify			F	DNQ	F	F	F	F	SF	did not qualify				0 / 6	11–6
Career statistics
Year-end ranking	no rankings				5	4	3		3	8	37	52	24	25

External links

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