By Chris Oddo | Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Dorothy "Dodo" Cheney, Iconic, decorated and dominant, dies at 98.
Photo Source/Keystone/Hilton Archive.
Dorothy “Dodo” Cheney, former Australian Open champion and iconic American tennis trailblazer, has passed away at 98.
Cheney was an active tennis competitor well into her 90s, and won an incredible 391 gold balls, the accolade awarded to players who’ve won national championships at USTA events.
In 1938 Cheney was the first American woman to win the Australian championships, which later became the Australian Open. She also reached the last four of the other three Grand Slams at various points in her career (including four US Open semifinals), and reached a career-high ranking of No. 6 in the world in 1946. She was runner-up three times in doubles at Grand Slam events and four times in mixed doubles.
Cheney was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2004 at the age of 87, and was introduced at the ceremony by John McEnroe.
Cheney was born into tennis royalty. Her mother was the former May Sutton, who won the US Championships in 1904 and went on to become the first American woman to win Wimbledon in 1905.
The Santa Monica, California native is survived by two daughters, Christie Putnam and May Cheney; a son, Brian Cheney; eight grandchildren; and fourteen great-grandchildren.