# 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.

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

## Olympic Games
### Doubles: 1 (bronze)

| Result | 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.

## Other significant finals
### Year-end championships
#### Doubles: 5 (runner-ups)

| Result | Year | Championship | Surface | Partner | Opponent | Score |
| Loss | 1983 | New York | Carpet (i) | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 1985 | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 4–6, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$ |
| Loss | 1986$^{(Mar)}$ | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1986$^{(Nov)}$ | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 6–7$^{(1–7)}$, 3–6 |
| Loss | 1987 | New York | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova 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) | Nina Bohm | 4–6, 6–2, 7–5 |
| Win | 2. | Jul 1981 | Kitzbühel, Austria | Clay | Sylvia Hanika | 7–5, 7–6 |
| Win | 3. | Jan 1982 | Pittsburgh, US | Carpet (i) | Eva Pfaff | 6–4, 6–0 |
| Win | 4. | Mar 1982 | Austin, US | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | 7–6$^{(7–0)}$, 0–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1. | Apr 1984 | Hilton Head, US | Clay | Chris Evert-Lloyd | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 5. | May 1984 | Berlin West Germany | Clay | Kathleen Horvath | 7–6$^{(10–8)}$, 6–1 |
| Loss | 2. | Oct 1984 | Zürich, Switzerland | Carpet (i) | Zina Garrison | 1–6, 6–0, 2–6 |
| Loss | 3. | Dec 1984 | Tokyo, Japan | Carpet (i) | Manuela Maleeva | 6–3, 4–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 6. | Jul 1985 | Los Angeles, US | Hard | Pam Shriver | 6–2, 6–4 |
| Loss | 4. | Aug 1985 | Toronto, Canada | Hard | Chris Evert-Lloyd | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 5. | Jan 1986 | Worcester, UK | Carpet (i) | Martina Navratilova | 6–4, 1–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 6. | Mar 1986 | Marco Island, US | Clay | Chris Evert-Lloyd | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 7. | Apr 1986 | Amelia Island, US | Clay | Steffi Graf | 4–6, 7–5, 6–7$^{(3–7)}$ |
| Loss | 8. | May 1987 | Berlin, West Germany | Clay | Steffi Graf | 2–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 7. | Jun 1988 | Birmingham, UK | Grass | Pam Shriver | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 8. | Sept 1990 | Kitzbühel, Austria | 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)
| Result | No. | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
| Win | 1. | Jul 1980 | Kitzbühel | Clay | Eva Pfaff | Hana Mandlíková Renáta Tomanová | w/o |
| Win | 2. | Jul 1981 | Kitzbühel | Hard | Eva Pfaff | Elizabeth Little Yvonne Vermaak | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 1. | May 1982 | Berlin | Clay | Bettina Bunge | Liz Gordon Beverly Mould | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 2. | Nov 1982 | Brisbane | Grass | Eva Pfaff | Billie Jean King Anne Smith | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 3. | Nov 1982 | Sydney | Grass | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 6–2, 6–7 |
| Loss | 4. | Nov 1982 | Australian Open | Grass | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 4–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 3. | Feb 1983 | Oakland | Carpet (i) | Eva Pfaff | Rosie Casals Wendy Turnbull | 6–4, 4–6, 6–4 |
| Loss | 5. | Mar 1983 | Virginia Slims Championships | Carpet (i) | Eva Pfaff | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 6. | May 1983 | Berlin | Clay | Eva Pfaff | Jo Durie Anne Hobbs | 4–6, 6–7$^{(2–7)}$ |
| Win | 4. | Jul 1983 | Hittfeld | Clay | Bettina Bunge | Ivanna Madruga Catherine Tanvier | 7–5, 6–4 |
| Win | 5. | Apr 1984 | Hilton Head | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | Anne Hobbs Sharon Walsh | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Win | 6. | Apr 1984 | Orlando | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | Anne Hobbs Wendy Turnbull | 6–0, 1–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 7. | May 1984 | French Open | Clay | Hana Mandlíková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 7–5, 3–6, 2–6 |
| Loss | 8. | Aug 1984 | Montreal | Hard | Hana Mandlíková | Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Sayers | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 7. | Oct 1984 | Filderstadt | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Bettina Bunge Eva Pfaff | 6–2, 4–6, 6–3 |
| Loss | 9. | Oct 1984 | Zürich | Carpet (i) | Hana Mandlíková | Andrea Leand Andrea Temesvári | 1–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 8. | Nov 1984 | Sydney | Grass | Helena Suková | Wendy Turnbull Sharon Walsh | 6–2, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$ |
| Loss | 10. | Nov 1984 | Australian Open | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 9. | Dec 1984 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Elizabeth Smylie Catherine Tanvier | 6–4, 6–4 |
| Loss | 11. | Jan 1985 | Washington | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Gigi Fernández Martina Navratilova | 3–6, 6–3, 3–6 |
| Loss | 12. | Mar 1985 | Virginia Slims Championships | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 4–6, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$ |
| Win | 10. | May 1985 | Berlin | Clay | Helena Suková | Steffi Graf Catherine Tanvier | 6–4, 6–1 |
| Loss | 13. | May 1985 | French Open | Clay | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 6–4, 2–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 11. | Jul 1985 | Los Angeles | Hard | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 6–4, 6–2 |
| Loss | 14. | Aug 1985 | Mahwah | Hard | Helena Suková | Kathy Jordan Elizabeth Smylie | 6–7$^{(6–8)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 12. | Aug 1985 | US Open | Hard | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 6–2, 6–3 |
| Loss | 15. | Oct 1985 | Zürich | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Andrea Temesvári | 4–6, 6–3, 5–7 |
| Loss | 16. | Nov 1985 | Brisbane | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 4–6, 7–6$^{(8–6)}$, 1–6 |
| Loss | 17. | Nov 1985 | Australian Open | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Win | 13. | Dec 1985 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Marcella Mesker Elizabeth Smylie | 6–0, 6–4 |
| Loss | 18. | Jan 1986 | Washington | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 19. | Jan 1986 | Worcester | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 14. | Mar 1986 | Dallas | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 7–5, 6–4 |
| Loss | 20. | Mar 1986 | Virginia Slims Championship | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Hana Mandlíková Wendy Turnbull | 4–6, 7–6$^{(7–4)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 15. | Apr 1986 | Amelia Island | Clay | Helena Suková | Gabriela Sabatini Catherine Tanvier | 6–2, 5–7, 7–6$^{(9–7)}$ |
| Loss | 21. | Jun 1986 | Eastbourne | Grass | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 2–6, 4–6 |
| Loss | 22. | Aug 1986 | Los Angeles | Hard | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 4–6, 3–6 |
| Loss | 23. | Nov 1986 | Worcester | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 5–7, 3–6 |
| Win | 16. | Nov 1986 | Chicago | Clay | Helena Suková | Steffi Graf Gabriela Sabatini | 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$, 6–3 |
| Loss | 24. | Nov 1986 | Virginia Slims Championship | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 6–7$^{(1–7)}$, 3–6 |
| Win | 17. | Jan 1987 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Elise Burgin Pam Shriver | 6–1, 7–6$^{(7–5)}$ |
| Loss | 25. | Feb 1987 | Key Biscayne | Hard | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 3–6, 6–7$^{(6–8)}$ |
| Loss | 26. | Feb 1987 | Rome | Clay | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Gabriela Sabatini | 4–6, 1–6 |
| Win | 18. | May 1987 | Berlin | Clay | Helena Suková | Catarina Lindqvist Tine Scheuer-Larsen | 6–1, 6–2 |
| Win | 19. | Jun 1987 | Wimbledon | Grass | Helena Suková | Betsy Nagelsen Elizabeth Smylie | 7–5, 7–5 |
| Loss | 27. | Aug 1987 | Toronto | Hard | Helena Suková | Zina Garrison Lori McNeil | 1–6, 2–6 |
| Win | 20. | Sep 1987 | Hamburg | Clay | Jana Novotná | Natalia Bykova Leila Meskhi | 7–6$^{(7–1)}$, 7–6$^{(8–6)}$ |
| Win | 21. | Nov 1987 | Chicago | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Zina Garrison Lori McNeil | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Loss | 28. | Nov 1987 | Virginia Slims Championship | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 1–6, 1–6 |
| Loss | 29. | Dec 1987 | Brisbane | Grass | Helena Suková | Betsy Nagelsen Pam Shriver | 6–2, 5–7, 2–6 |
| Loss | 30. | Jan 1988 | Sydney | Grass | Helena Suková | Ann Henricksson Christiane Jolissaint | 6–7$^{(5–7)}$, 6–4, 3–6 |
| Loss | 31. | Mar 1988 | Boca Raton | Hard | Helena Suková | Katrina Adams Zina Garrison | 6–4, 5–7, 4–6 |
| Loss | 32. | Apr 1988 | Hilton Head | Clay | Gabriela Sabatini | Lori McNeil Martina Navratilova | 2–6, 6–2, 3–6 |
| Loss | 33. | May 1988 | Berlin | Clay | Helena Suková | Isabelle Demongeot Nathalie Tauziat | 2–6, 6–4, 4–6 |
| Loss | 34. | May 1988 | French Open | Clay | Helena Suková | Martina Navratilova Pam Shriver | 2–6, 5–7 |
| Loss | 35. | Oct 1988 | Zürich | Carpet (i) | Helena Suková | Isabelle Demongeot Nathalie Tauziat | 3–6, 3–6 |
| Win | 22. | Nov 1988 | Adelaide | Hard | Sylvia Hanika | Jana Novotná Lori McNeil | 7–5, 6–7$^{(4–7)}$, 6–4 |
| Loss | 36. | Jan 1989 | Tokyo | Carpet (i) | Mary Joe Fernández | Katrina Adams Zina Garrison | 3–6, 6–3, 6–7$^{(5–7)}$ |
| Loss | 37. | Aug 1989 | Los Angeles | Hard | Mary Joe Fernández | Martina Navratilova Wendy Turnbull | 2–5 ret. |
| Win | 23. | Feb 1991 | Oslo | Carpet (i) | Silke Meier | Sabine Appelmans Raffaella Reggi | 3–6, 6–2, 6–4 |
| Win | 24. | Apr 1991 | Hilton Head | Clay | Natasha Zvereva | Mary-Lou Daniels Lise Gregory | 6–4, 6–0 |
| Loss | 38. | Aug 1991 | Toronto | Hard | Helena Suková | Larisa Savchenko Natasha Zvereva | 6–1, 5–7, 2–6 |
| Win | 25. | Feb 1992 | Indian Wells | Hard | Stephanie Rehe | Jill Hetherington Kathy Rinaldi | 6–3, 6–3 |
| Loss | 39. | Sep 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 | SR | W–L |
| Grand Slam tournaments |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | 1R | 1R | 3R | 3R | 3R | SF | NH | NH | SF | SF | QF | 1R | 1R | 2R | 0 / 12 | 24–12 |
| French Open | 1R | 1R | 2R | 3R | 4R | SF | 4R | 4R | QF | 3R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 0 / 13 | 21–13 |
| Wimbledon | A | 2R | 4R | 4R | 4R | 2R | 3R | 3R | QF | A | 3R | 3R | 3R | 2R | 0 / 11 | 24–11 |
| US Open | A | 1R | 3R | 2R | 4R | QF | 4R | 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 | 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 | 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 | 2–5 |
| Career statistics |||||||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | 78 | 20 | 19 | 22 | 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 | SR | W–L |
| Grand Slam tournaments |||||||||||||||||
| Australian Open | QF | 1R | F | 1R | F | F | NH | NH | SF | A | 3R | A | 1R | 3R | 0 / 10 | 21–9 |
| French Open | 1R | SF | QF | QF | F | F | SF | SF | SF | F | 1R | QF | 3R | 1R | 0 / 13 | 37–13 |
| Wimbledon | A | 1R | SF | QF | QF | SF | 2R | 2R | W | A | 3R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 1 / 11 | 26–10 |
| US Open | A | QF | SF | A | 3R | W | QF | 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 | 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 | 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 | 11–6 |
| Career statistics |||||||||||||||||
| Year-end ranking | no rankings | no rankings | no rankings | no rankings | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 37 | 52 | 24 | 25 | | |