Dorothy Cheney

Dorothy "Dodo" May Sutton Bundy Cheney (September 1, 1916 – November 23, 2014) was an American tennis player from her youth into her 90s. In 1938, Bundy was the first American to win the women's singles title at the Australian National Championships, defeating Dorothy Stevenson in the final. Cheney died on November 23, 2014, in Escondido, California at the age of 98.

Tennis career

According to A. Wallis Myers and John Olliff of The Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail, Bundy Cheney was ranked in the world top 10 in 1937 and 1946 (no rankings issued from 1940 through 1945), reaching a career high of sixth in 1946.

The United States Lawn Tennis Association (USLTA) included Bundy Cheney in its year-end, top-ten rankings of U.S. players from 1936 through 1941, 1943 through 1946, and in 1955. She was ranked third in 1937, 1938, and 1941.

Bundy was a member of the victorious U.S. Wightman Cup teams from 1937 through 1939.

She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004.

Cheney was still competing in selected top level events at the age of 51. In 1967, she defeated a seeded player, Karen Krantzcke, in the third round of the Pacific Southwest Championships in straight sets.

By the end of her senior age-groups playing career, Cheney had amassed 394 USTA titles — a record.

Grand Slam and other singles tournaments

In the first singles match of her career at any Grand Slam tournament, Bundy upset second-seeded Sarah Palfrey Fabyan in the first round of the 1936 U.S. National Championships. Bundy ultimately lost in the quarterfinals.

The first nine times that Bundy Cheney played singles at the U.S. National Championships, she reached at least the quarterfinals. During those (and other) years, she had no "bad" losses at Grand Slam singles tournaments. Her losses were as follows

Bundy Cheney also had several significant singles wins at Grand Slam tournaments:

YearTournamentRoundOpponentOpponent'sSeeding 1936 U.S. National Championships 1R Sarah Palfrey Fabyan Second 1937 U.S. National Championships 3R Marie Horn Fourth foreign 1937 U.S. National Championships QF Alice Marble First 1938 U.S. National Championships 2R Margaret Osborne None 1938 U.S. National Championships QF Simone Mathieu Second foreign 1939 U.S. National Championships 3R Freda James Fifth foreign 1941 U.S. National Championships 3R Patricia Canning Todd None 1943 U.S. National Championships QF Margaret Osborne Third 1944 U.S. National Championships 2R Patricia Canning Todd None 1944 U.S. National Championships QF Doris Hart Second 1946 Wimbledon Championships 4R Betty Nuthall None 1946 Wimbledon Championships QF Katherine Stammers None

Cheney won the singles title at the 1944 Tri-Cities Championships in Cincinnati, defeating Betz in the final. The following year, Cheney was the singles runner-up at that tournament.

Grand Slam and other women's doubles tournaments

Bundy Cheney was a three-time runner-up in Grand Slam women's doubles tournaments: 1938 Australian National Championships, 1940 U.S. National Championships, and 1941 U.S. National Championships.

Cheney won the women's doubles title at the 1944 and 1945 Tri-Cities Championships in Cincinnati.

Grand Slam finals

Singles (1 title)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore Win 1938 Australian Championships Grass Dorothy Stevenson 6–3, 6–2

Doubles (3 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore Loss 1938 Australian Championships Grass Dorothy Workman Nancye Wynne Bolton Thelma Coyne Long 7–9, 4–6 Loss 1940 U.S. National Championships Grass Marjorie Gladman Van Ryn Alice Marble Sarah Palfrey Cooke 3–6, 7–9 Loss 1941 U.S. National Championships Grass Pauline Betz Margaret Osborne duPont Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–3, 1–6, 4–6

Mixed doubles (4 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore Loss 1940 U.S. National Championships Grass Jack Kramer Alice Marble Bobby Riggs 7–9, 1–6 Loss 1944 U.S. National Championships Grass Don McNeill Margaret Osborne duPont Bill Talbert 2–6, 3–6 Loss 1946 Wimbledon Grass Geoff Brown Louise Brough Thomas Brown, Jr. 4–6, 4–6 Loss 1946 French Championships Clay Thomas Brown, Jr Pauline Betz Budge Patty 5–7, 7–9

Other singles finals (54 titles, 60 runner-ups)

ResultWeek ofTournamentSurfaceOpponent Score Lost Jul 24, 1933 British Columbia Open ChampionshipsVictoria Lawn Tennis ClubVictoria, British Columbia, Canada Grass Mary Campbell 0–6, 6–2, 4–6 Won Sep 4, 1933 Santa Monica City OpenSanta Monica, California, U. S. Hard May Doeg Smith 8–6, 6–3 Won Aug 13, 1934 Long Beach Open ChampionshipsLong Beach, California, U. S. Hard Marjorie Lauderbach Blair 10–8, 6–2 Won Apr 13, 1936 Ambassador Hotel InvitationalAmbassador Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Esther Hare Bartosh 6–3, 6–2 Won Apr 20, 1936 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 7–5, 1–6, 6–4 Lost May 4, 1936 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Alice Marble 2–6, 4–6 Won Jun 15, 1936 City of Denver ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Fay Schwayder 6–1, 6–1 Won Jul 6, 1936 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Gertrude Bishop Bixler 6–1, 6–4 Won Dec 28, 1936 Southern California Midwinter ChampionshipsLa Cienega Tennis ClubBeverley Hills, California, U. S. Hard Jacque Virgil Nelson 6–1, 3–6, 6–1 Won Apr 5, 1937 Ambassador Hotel InvitationalAmbassador Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Barbara Winslow 6–4, 8–6 Won Apr 19, 1937 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Barbara Winslow 6–2, 6–2 Won May 3, 1937 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U.S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–1, 6–8, 7–5 Lost Jun 28, 1937 Hotel del Coronado InvitationalCoronado, California, U. S. Hard Bonnie Miller Blank 5–7, 4–6 Won Jul 12, 1937 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Carolin Babcock 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 Won Dec 6, 1937 Victorian ChampionshipsKooyong Lawn Tennis ClubMelbourne, Australia Grass Nancye Wynne Bolton 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 Won Apr 18, 1938 Ambassador Hotel InvitationalAmbassador Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard May Doeg Smith 8–6, 3–6, 6–2 Won Apr 25, 1938 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Gertrude Bishop Bixler 6–3, 6–3 Lost May 23, 1938 Middlesex ChampionshipsChiswick Park Lawn Tennis ClubLondon, United Kingdom Grass Jadwiga Jędrzejowska 5–7, 2–6 Lost Jul 11, 1938 Scottish ChampionshipsPeebles, Scotland Grass Mary Hardwick 2–6, 5–7 Lost Jul 25, 1938 Seabright InvitationalSeabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket ClubRumson, New Jersey, U. S. Grass Alice Marble 2–6, 2–6 Lost Aug 8, 1938 Eastern Grass Court ChampionshipsWestchester Country ClubRye, New York, U. S. Grass Alice Marble 5–7, 0–6 Won Sep 26, 1938 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–4, 6–4 Won Jan 9, 1939 Palm Springs InvitationalPalm Springs Tennis ClubPalm Springs, California, U. S. Hard Mary Arnold Prentiss 6–4, 6–2 Won Jun 26, 1939 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Marjorie Gladman Van Ryn 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 Lost Sep 25, 1939 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Alice Marble 7–9, 1–6 Lost Jan 8, 1940 Palm Springs InvitationalEl Mirador Tennis ClubPalm Springs, California, U. S. Hard Helen Bernhard 3–6, 4–6 Won Apr 15, 1940 Beverley Hills InvitationalLa Cienega Tennis ClubBeverley Hills, California, U. S. Hard Helen Bernhard 6–2, 7–5 Won Apr 22, 1940 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 6–4, 6–4 Won Jun 24, 1940 Hotel del Coronado InvitationalCoronado, California, U. S. Hard Louise Brough 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 Won Jul 8, 1940 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Esther Hare Bartosh 7–5, 6–4 Lost Jul 15, 1940 Eastern Clay Court ChampionshipsJackson Heights Tennis ClubNew York City, New York, U. S. Clay Virginia Wolfenden 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 Won Jul 29, 1940 Maidstone InvitationalMaidstone ClubEast Hampton, New York, U. S. Grass Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–2, 6–3 Won Sep 16, 1940 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Valerie Scott 6–3, 6–3 Won Nov 11, 1940 Championships of the ArgentineBuenos Aires, Argentina Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 Won Nov 25, 1940 International Tournament of UruguayMontevideo, Uruguay Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–4, 7–9, 6–3 Lost Dec 2, 1940 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 8–6, 3–6, 3–6 Lost Dec 9, 1940 Championship of the FluminenseRio de Janeiro, Brazil Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 2–6, 1–6 Lost Jan 20, 1941 Florida West Coast ChampionshipsSt. Petersburg, Florida, U. S. Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 5–7, 1–6 Lost Feb 3, 1941 South Florida ChampionshipsWest Palm Beach, Florida, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 4–6, 1–6 Lost Feb 17, 1941 Miami Biltmore Round RobinMiami Biltmore Country ClubCoral Gables, Florida, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 3–6 Lost Feb 24, 1941 Southeastern Sectional ChampionshipsJacksonville, Florida, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 4–6, 9–11 Lost Mar 24, 1941 U.S. National Indoor ChampionshipsLongwood Cricket ClubBrookline, Massachusetts, U. S. Indoor wood Pauline Betz 1–6, 12–10, 2–6 Won Apr 14, 1941 River Oaks InvitationalRiver Oaks Country ClubHouston, Texas, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 5–7, 6–4, 11–9 Won Jun 2, 1941 Heart of America ChampionshipsRockhill ClubKansas City, Missouri, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 Lost Jun 23, 1941 Hotel del Coronado InvitationalCoronado, California, U. S. Hard Louise Brough 2–6, 11–9, 2–6 Lost Jun 30, 1941 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Nina Browm 6–8, 5–7 Lost Jul 7, 1941 Western Sectional ChampionshipsWoodstock Country ClubIndianapolis, Indiana, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 7–9, 6–4, 3–6 Lost Sep 15, 1941 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Sarah Palfrey Cooke 3–6, 5–7 Lost Nov 17, 1941 Championships of the ArgentineBuenos Aires, Argentina Clay Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–3, 7–9, 5–7 Lost Feb 9, 1942 Florida State ChampionshipsOrlando, Florida, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 1–6, 4–6 Won Jun 29, 1942 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver Country ClubDenver, Colorado, U. S. Clay Pearl Harland Won Aug 31, 1942 Santa Monica City OpenSanta Monica, California, U. S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–3, 6–3 Won Jan 25, 1943 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–4, 6–1 Lost May 31, 1943 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Louise Brough 3–6, 2–6 Lost Oct 11, 1943 Pan American International ChampionshipsMexico City, Mexico Clay Pauline Betz 5–7, 4–6 Won Jun 12, 1944 U.S. National Clay Court ChampionshipsDetroit Tennis ClubDetroit, Michigan, U. S. Clay Mary Arnold Prentiss 7–5, 6–4 Won Jun 19, 1944 Tri-State ChampionshipsCincinnati Tennis ClubCincinnati, Ohio, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 7–5, 6–4 Lost Jul 3, 1944 Western Sectional ChampionshipsNeenah, Wisconsin, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 1–6, 2–6 Lost Jul 10, 1944 Chicago OpenRiver Forest Tennis ClubRiver Forest, Illinois, U. S. Clay Mary Arnold Prentiss 7–9, 4–6 Lost Aug 16, 1944 Longwood Bowl InvitationalLongwood Cricket ClubBrookline, Massachusetts, U. S. Grass Louise Brough 2–6, 4–6 Lost Jun 25, 1945 Tri-State ChampionshipsCincinnati Tennis ClubCincinnati, Ohio, U. S. Clay Pauline Betz 2–6, 0–6 Lost Aug 20, 1945 Maidstone InvitationalMaidstone ClubEast Hampton, New York, U. S. Grass Sarah Palfrey Cooke 6–8, 4–6 Lost Jan 7, 1946 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 9–7, 3–6, 3-6 Lost Mar 18, 1946 Town House InvitationalLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 4–6, 1-6 Lost Apr 8, 1946 Beverly Hills InvitationalLa Cienega Tennis ClubBeverly Hills, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 3–6, 1-6 Won May 6, 1946 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 6–1, 3–6, 6-1 Won May 20, 1946 California State ChampionshipsCalifornia ClubBerkeley, California, U. S. Hard Dorothy Head Knode 6–4, 7-5 Won Jul 29, 1946 Prague International ChampionshipsPrague, Czechoslovakia Clay _____ Solcova 6–2, 6–1 Won Aug 5, 1946 Gstaad International ChampionshipsGstaad, Switzerland Clay Helena Straubeová 6–4, 6–1 Won Aug 12, 1946 International Swiss ChampionshipsLucerne, Switzerland Clay Shared with Nelly Adamson Landry Lost Sep 23, 1946 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 2–6, 2–6 Lost Feb 3, 1947 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Pauline Betz 4–6, 3-6 Won Mar 13, 1950 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Spring InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–1, 6-2 Lost Apr 24, 1950 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Helen Pastall Perez 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 Lost Sep 11, 1950 Pacific Southwest ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, California, U. S. Hard Helen Pastall Perez 2–6, 2–6 Won Jun 16, 1952 Hotel del Coronado InvitationalCoronado, California, U. S. Hard Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher 6–3, 6–4 Lost Aug 18, 1952 Santa Monica City OpenSanta Monica, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 2–6, 3–6 Lost Feb 2, 1953 Thunderbird InvitationalPhoenix, Arizona, U. S. Hard Anita Kanter 6–3, 4–6, 3–6 Lost Feb 9, 1953 Palm Springs Winter InvitationalPalm Springs, California, U. S. Hard Helen Pastall Perez 6–3, 9–11, 4–6 Won Apr 20, 1953 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Darlene Hard 6–3, 6–2 Lost May 4, 1953 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Helen Pastall Perez 2–6, 4–6 Lost Jun 22, 1953 Hotel del Coronado InvitationalCoronado, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 6–4, 6–8, 1–6 Lost Jul 27, 1953 Balboa Bay Club Invitational,Newport Beach, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 4–6, 5–7 Lost Aug 24, 1953 Santa Monica City TournamentSanta Monica, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 3–6, 4–6 Lost Feb 8, 1954 Palm Springs Winter InvitationalPalm Springs, California, U. S. Hard Helen Pastall Perez 9–7, 2–6, retired Lost Apr 22, 1954 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai Valley Tennis ClubOjai, California, U. S. Hard Mary Arnold Prentiss 6–1, 4–6, 2–6 Won Jul 19, 1954 Colorado State ChampionshipsDenver, Colorado, U. S. Julia Sampson Hayward 6–3, 6–4 Won Jul 26, 1954 Balboa Bay Club Invitational,Newport Beach, California, U. S. Hard Barbara Green Weigandt 2–6, 6–4, 6–2 Won Apr 18, 1955 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai, California, U. S. Hard Barbara Breit 6–4, 9–7 Lost Apr 30, 1956 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 5–7, 2–6 Won Feb 4, 1957 Palm Desert InvitationalShadow Mountain ClubPalm Desert, California, U. S. Hard Patricia Canning Todd 4–6, 6–1, 6–4 Lost May 13, 1957 San Bernardino OpenPerris Hill ParkSan Bernardino, California, U. S. Hard Joan Johnson 2-6, retired Won Jul 1, 1957 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Marilyn Joseph 6–3, 6-2 Won Aug 12, 1957 Beverly Hills InvitationalLa Cienega Tennis ClubBeverly Hills, California, U. S. Hard Barbara Green Weigandt 6–3, 6-0 Won Aug 26, 1957 Santa Monica City TournamentSanta Monica, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 6–3, 0–6, 6–4 Lost Oct 21, 1957 Riverside Tennis Club InvitationalRiverside, California, U. S. Hard Darlene Hard 6–3, 8–10, 4–6 Lost Oct 21, 1957 Balboa Bay Club InvitationalNewport Beach, California, U. S. Hard Beverly Baker Fleitz 4–6, 1–6 Won Jul 10, 1958 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Mary Arnold Prentiss 6–4, 6-2 Lost Sep 29, 1958 Riverside Press-Enterprise InvitationalRiverside Tennis ClubRiverside, California, U. S. Hard Karen Hantze Susman 2–6, 1–6 Lost Jul 9, 1959 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Karen Hantze Susman 2–6, 7-9 Lost Feb 8, 1960 Palm Desert InvitationalShadow Mountain ClubPalm Desert, California, U. S. Hard Carole Caldwell Graebner 6–1, 3–6, 4–6 Lost Apr 18, 1960 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai, California, U. S. Hard Karen Hantze Susman 0–6, 0–6 Won 1960 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Judy Minna 6–1, 6-3 Won Jul 3, 1961 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Kathy Blake Bryan 6–1, 6-4 Lost Apr 23, 1962 Ojai Valley Tennis TournamentOjai, California, U. S. Hard Carole Caldwell Graebner 7–5, 2–6, 5–7 Won Jul 2, 1962 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Patricia Cody 6–2, 6-3 Won Jul 1, 1963 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Kathy Chabot 6–2, 1–6, 6-1 Lost 1964 Palm Desert InvitationalShadow Mountain ClubPalm Desert, California, U. S. Hard Karen Hantze Susman 5–7, 4–6 Won Jul 9, 1964 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Patricia Hogan Fordyce 7–5, 6-1 Lost Jul 5, 1965 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Patricia Hogan Fordyce 2–6, 4-6 Lost Jul 4, 1966 La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer InvitationalLa Jolla, California, U. S. Hard Patricia Hogan Fordyce 7–5, 3–6, 4-6 Lost May 8, 1967 Southern California Sectional ChampionshipsLos Angeles Tennis ClubLos Angeles, U. S. Hard Tory Fretz 7–9, retired Won Aug 4, 1969 British Columbia Open ChampionshipsVictoria, British Columbia, Canada Mary Struthers 6-4, 8-6 Lost Aug 4, 1969 British Columbia Open ChampionshipsVictoria, British Columbia, Canada Cynthia Marquette 2-6, 4-6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

R = tournament restricted to French nationals and held under German occupation.

1In 1946 and 1947, the French International Championships were held after the Wimbledon Championships.