Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
# 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.

## 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.

## 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 | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 1984 | French Open | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 7–5, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 1984 | Australian Open | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Runner-up | 1985 | French Open | Clay | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 6–4, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Winner | 1985 | US Open | Hard | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | $6–7^{(5–7)},$ 6–2, 6–3 |
| Runner-up | 1985 | Australian Open | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Winner | 1987 | Wimbledon | Grass | Helena Suková | Betsy Nagelsen Elizabeth Smylie | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Runner-up | 1988 | French Open | Clay | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 2–6, 5–7 |

### Olympics

**Doubles: 1 bronze medal**

| Outcome | Year | Location | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Bronze | 1988 | Seoul | Hard | 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) | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Runner-up | 1985 | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | $7–6^{(7–4)},$ 4–6, $6–7^{(5–7)}$ |
| Runner-up | 1986 (Mar.) | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, $7–6^{(7–4)},$ 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 1986 (Nov.) | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | $6–7^{(1–7)},$ 3–6 |
| Runner-up | 1987 | New York | Carpet (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 |

## Performance timelines

Key :

| W | F | SF | QF | #R | RR | Q# | DNQ | A | NH |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |

### Singles

| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | Career SR |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Grand Slam tournaments ||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 3R | SF | NH | NH | SF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | 2R | 0 / 12 |
| French Open | 1R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 4R | SF | 4R | 4R | QF | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 0 / 13 |
| Wimbledon | A | 2R | 4R | 4R | 4R | 2R | 3R | 3R | QF | A | 3R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 0 / 11 |
| US Open | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | 4R | QF | 4R | 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 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 46 |
| Year-end championship ||||||||||||||||
| WTA Championships | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 1R | QF | QF | 1R | 1R | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 0 / 5 |
| Career statistics ||||||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | 78 | 20 | 19 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 36 | 46 | 78 | 79 | |

### Doubles

| Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | Career SR |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Grand Slam tournaments ||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | QF | 1R | F | 1R | F | F | NH | NH | SF | A | 3R | A | 1R | 3R | 0 / 10 |
| French Open | 1R | SF | QF | QF | F | F | SF | SF | SF | F | 1R | QF | 3R | 1R | 0 / 13 |
| Wimbledon | A | 1R | SF | QF | QF | SF | 2R | 2R | W | A | 3R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 1 / 11 |
| US Open | A | QF | SF | A | 3R | W | QF | QF | QF | 3R | A | A | QF | A | 1 / 8 |
| SR | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 4 | 1 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 1 / 4 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 4 | 0 / 3 | 2 / 42 |
| Year-end championship ||||||||||||||||
| WTA Championships | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | F | DNQ | F | F | F | F | SF | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | 0 / 6 |
| Career statistics ||||||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | no rankings | no rankings | no rankings | no rankings | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 52 | 24 | 25 | |
