Dorothy Head Knode
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Head Knode is a former tennis
player from the United States
who reached the women's singles final of the French Championships in 1955 (losing to Angela Mortimer Barrett 2–6, 7–5, 10-8) and 1957 (losing to Shirley Bloomer Brasher 6–1, 6–3). She reached the semifinals of six other Grand Slam
singles tournaments from 1952 through 1957.
Knode won the singles title at the German Championships
in 1950, 1952, and 1953. She also won the singles title at the U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships in 1951, 1955, 1958, and 1960 and the bronze medal at the 1959 Pan American Games
in Chicago
. She and her partner Darlene Hard
were the runners-up in women's doubles at the 1956 French Championships, losing to the team of Althea Gibson
and Angela Buxton
6–8, 8–6, 6–1.
According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
, Knode was ranked in the world top ten in 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957, and 1958 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 5 in those rankings in 1955 and 1957. Knode was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, and 1956 through 1959. She was the third-ranked U.S. player in 1957 and 1959.
As of October 2008, Knode is still active in international and national senior events, winning the 80-and-over Super-Seniors World Individual Championships in Antalya
, Turkey
in 2005.
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
who reached the women's singles final of the French Championships in 1955 (losing to Angela Mortimer Barrett 2–6, 7–5, 10-8) and 1957 (losing to Shirley Bloomer Brasher 6–1, 6–3). She reached the semifinals of six other Grand Slam
Grand Slam (tennis)
The four Major tennis tournaments, also called the Slams, are the most important tennis events of the year in terms of world tour ranking points, tradition, prize-money awarded, strength and size of player field, and public attention. They are the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, and...
singles tournaments from 1952 through 1957.
Knode won the singles title at the German Championships
Qatar Telecom German Open
The German Open, sponsored from 2006 through 2008 as the Qatar Telecom German Open, was a WTA Tour affiliated professional tennis tournament for women played in Berlin, Germany. Held since 1896, it was one of the oldest tournaments for women...
in 1950, 1952, and 1953. She also won the singles title at the U.S. Women's Clay Court Championships in 1951, 1955, 1958, and 1960 and the bronze medal at the 1959 Pan American Games
Pan American Games
The Pan-American or Pan American Games are a major event in the Americas featuring summer and formerly winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Pan American Games are the second largest multi-sport event after the Summer Olympics...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. She and her partner Darlene Hard
Darlene Hard
Darlene Hard is an American former amateur tennis player. Known for her volleying ability and strong serves, she captured singles titles at the French Championships in 1960 and the U.S...
were the runners-up in women's doubles at the 1956 French Championships, losing to the team of Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson
Althea Gibson was a World No. 1 American sportswoman who became the first African-American woman to be a competitor on the world tennis tour and the first to win a Grand Slam title in 1956. She is sometimes referred to as "the Jackie Robinson of tennis" for breaking the color barrier...
and Angela Buxton
Angela Buxton
Angela Buxton is an English tennis player. She won the women's doubles title at both the French Championships and Wimbledon in 1956 with Althea Gibson.-Tennis accomplishments:...
6–8, 8–6, 6–1.
According to Lance Tingay of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
, Knode was ranked in the world top ten in 1952, 1953, 1955, 1957, and 1958 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of World No. 5 in those rankings in 1955 and 1957. Knode was included in the year-end top ten rankings issued by the United States Lawn Tennis Association
United States Tennis Association
The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. A not-for-profit organization with more than 700,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds to promote and develop the growth of tennis, from the grass-roots to the professional levels...
in 1943, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1949, 1951, and 1956 through 1959. She was the third-ranked U.S. player in 1957 and 1959.
As of October 2008, Knode is still active in international and national senior events, winning the 80-and-over Super-Seniors World Individual Championships in Antalya
Antalya
Antalya is a city on the Mediterranean coast of southwestern Turkey. With a population 1,001,318 as of 2010. It is the eighth most populous city in Turkey and country's biggest international sea resort.- History :...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
in 2005.
Grand Slam singles tournament timeline
| Tournament | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 19461 | 19471 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | Career SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Championships Australian Open The Australian Open is the only Grand Slam tennis tournament held in the southern hemisphere. The tournament was held for the first time in 1905 and was last contested on grass in 1987. Since 1972 the Australian Open has been held in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1988, the tournament became a hard court... |
NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 0 |
| France | R | R | A | A | A | A | A | 3R | A | SF | SF | A | F | 3R | F | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 3R | 1R | A | 1R | 0 / 10 |
| Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon The Championships, Wimbledon, or simply Wimbledon , is the oldest tennis tournament in the world, considered by many to be the most prestigious. It has been held at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London since 1877. It is one of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the other three Majors... |
NH | NH | NH | A | A | A | A | 4R | A | 4R | SF | A | QF | 2R | SF | 2R | A | 3R | A | A | 3R | A | A | 2R | 1R | A | A | 0 / 11 |
| U.S. Championships | QF | 2R | 1R | QF | QF | 3R | 2R | A | 3R | A | A | 1R | SF | QF | SF | QF | QF | A | A | 4R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 0 / 15 |
| SR | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 3 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 2 | 0 / 0 | 0 / 1 | 0 / 36 |
NH = tournament not held.
R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.
A = did not participate in the tournament.
SR = the ratio of the number of Grand Slam singles tournaments won to the number of those tournaments played.
1In 1946 and 1947, the French Championships were held after Wimbledon.
See also
- Performance timelines for all female tennis players who reached at least one Grand Slam finalTennis performance timeline comparison (women)This article presents in a tabular form the career tennis Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships and Olympic singles results of every woman who has reached the singles final of at least one Grand Slam, World Hard Court Championships or Olympic tournament during her career...