Dorothy 'Dodo' Cheney | Tennis star, 98

Dorothy "Dodo" Cheney, 98, who began competing in adult tennis tournaments in 1928 and was still playing more than 80 years later, long after she had entered the International Tennis Hall of Fame as the winningest player in the history of her sport, died Nov. 23 at an assisted living facility in Escondido, Calif.

Her son, Brian Cheney, announced the death but did not disclose an exact cause.

Her husband of 36 years, Arthur Cheney, an airline pilot, died in 1982.

Dorothy May Sutton Bundy was born Sept. 1, 1916, in Los Angeles, and grew up in Santa Monica, Calif. Her mother, May Sutton Bundy, was the first American - man or woman - to win the singles title at Wimbledon, doing so in 1905.

Mrs. Cheney was competing in adult tournaments by the time she was 11. By the time she put down her racket at age 95, she had won 394 titles sanctioned by the U.S. Tennis Association, more than twice as many as any other player in history, male or female.

In 1938, Mrs. Cheney became the first American woman to win the Australian national championship, the precursor of the Australian Open.

She reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, the French Open, and U.S. Open and had four second-place finishes in doubles competitions at Grand Slam tournaments. She was ranked No. 6 in the world in 1946.

But all of that was mere prelude to Mrs. Cheney's golden second act, when she began playing on the senior circuit. With her red curls, homemade outfits, and lovable nickname, she became a revered figure of tennis.

Mrs. Cheney won on grass courts, clay courts. and hard courts, indoors and out. She won singles and doubles titles in every age category from 35 to 90. She played all over the country, wearing a pearl necklace and charm bracelet along with lace blouses, pleated skirts and bonnets that she sewed herself.

The 5-foot-3 tennis star compensated for her diminutive size with a crafty style of play. She had an excellent forehand and an endless assortment of drop shots, slices and lobs, along with an accurate, spinning serve that always landed just inside the line.
- Washington Post