Dorothy Head Knode

Alice Dorothy Head Knode (née Head; July 4, 1925 – October 25, 2015), also known as Dottie Head Knode, was an American tennis player who reached the women's singles final of the French International Championships in 1955, losing to Angela Mortimer in three sets, and 1957, losing to Shirley Bloomer in straight sets. She reached the semifinals of six other Grand Slam singles tournaments from 1952 through 1957.

Career In 1948, she won the singles title at the Cincinnati Open (then known as the Tri-State Championships) after defeating Mercedes Madden Lewis in the final in straight sets. 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 partner Darlene Hard were the runners-up in women's doubles at the 1956 French International 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 10 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 10 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 United States player in 1957 and 1959.

Her other career singles highlights include winning the Alexandria International Championships in Alexandria, Egypt in 1958.

In October 2008, Knode was still active in international and national senior events. She won the 80-and-over Super-Seniors World Individual Championships in Antalya, Turkey in 2005.

She died in Novato, California, in October 2015 at the age of 90 after suffering from arthritis and Alzheimer's.

Grand Slam finals

Singles: (2 runner-ups)

ResultYearChampionshipSurfaceOpponentScore Loss 1955 French Championships Clay Angela Mortimer 6–2, 5–7, 8–10 Loss 1957 French Championships Clay Shirley Bloomer 1–6, 3–6

Doubles (1 runner-up) ResultYearChampionshipSurfacePartnerOpponentsScoreLoss 1956 French Championships Clay Darlene Hard Angela Buxton Althea Gibson 8–6, 6–8, 1–6

Grand Slam singles tournament timeline

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

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