Dorothy Cheney

{{Short description|American tennis player (1916–2014)}} {{About|the tennis player|the primate biologist|Dorothy Cheney (scientist)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Infobox tennis biography |name = Dorothy Bundy Cheney |image = Dorothy Bundy 1929.jpg |caption = Bundy in 1929 |fullname = Dorothy May Sutton Bundy Cheney |country = {{USA}} |residence = |birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1916|9|1}} |birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S. |death_date = {{death date and age|mf=yes|2014|11|23|1916|9|1}} |death_place = Escondido, California, U.S. |tennishofyear = 2004 |tennishofid = dodo-cheney |website =  |singlesrecord = |singlestitles = |highestsinglesranking = World No. 6 (1946, John Olliff) |currentsinglesranking = |AustralianOpenresult = '''W''' (1938) |FrenchOpenresult = SF (1946) |Wimbledonresult = SF (1946) |USOpenresult = SF (1937, 1938, 1943, 1944) |Othertournaments =  |MastersCupresult = |WTAChampionshipsresult = |Olympicsresult = |doublesrecord = |doublestitles = |highestdoublesranking = |currentdoublesranking = |grandslamsdoublesresults = |AustralianOpenDoublesresult = F (1938) |FrenchOpenDoublesresult = |WimbledonDoublesresult = |USOpenDoublesresult = F (1940, 1941) |OthertournamentsDoubles =  |MastersCupDoublesresult = |WTAChampionshipsDoublesresult = |OlympicsDoublesresult = |Mixed =  |mixedrecord = |mixedtitles = |AustralianOpenMixedresult = |FrenchOpenMixedresult = F (1946) |WimbledonMixedresult = F (1946) |USOpenMixedresult = F (1940, 1944) }}

'''Dorothy "Dodo" May Sutton Bundy Cheney''' (September 1, 1916 – November 23, 2014) was an American tennis player from her youth into her 90s.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/dorothy-dodo-cheney-who-won-more-than-300-tennis-championships-dies-at-98/2014/11/29/1f7aec24-773e-11e4-9d9b-86d397daad27_story.html | title=Dorothy 'Dodo' Cheney, who won more than 300 tennis championships, dies at 98 | author=Matt Schudel | newspaper=The Washington Post | date=November 30, 2014}}</ref> 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.<ref name="obit"/>

==Personal life== Cheney was born in Los Angeles, the daughter of Tennis Hall of Famer May Sutton Bundy (1886–1975) and U.S. men's doubles champion Tom Bundy (1881–1945). She was the grandmother of former Major League Baseball player Danny Putnam.<ref>{{cite web | title=Danny Putnam profile | url=http://www.gostanford.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=30600&ATCLID=208432439 | website=www.gostanford.com | publisher=Stanford Baseball}}</ref> Cheney died on November 23, 2014, in Escondido, California at the age of 98.<ref name="obit">{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/26/sports/tennis/dodo-cheney-tennis-champion-dies-at-98.html | work=The New York Times | title=Dodo Cheney, tennis champion, dies at 98 | date=November 25, 2014}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite book | title=The Bud Collins History of Tennis: An Authoritative Encyclopedia and Record Book | publisher=New Chapter Press | location=New York City | year=2008 | pages=695, 702 | isbn=978-0-942257-41-0}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite book | author=United States Tennis Association | title=1988 Official USTA Tennis Yearbook | publisher=H. O. Zimman, Inc. | location=Lynn, Massachusetts | year=1988 | page=260}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=International Tennis Hall of Fame |url=https://www.tennisfame.com/hall-of-famers/inductees/dodo-cheney |access-date=2025-04-30 |website=www.tennisfame.com}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.tennischannel.com/news/NewsDetails.aspx?newsid=12305 | title=The Durable & Dominant Dodo | author=Joel Drucker | publisher=Tennis Channel | date=May 16, 2013 | access-date=August 29, 2014}}</ref>

===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:

{|class="sortable wikitable" |- !Year !Tournament !Round !Opponent !Opponent's Seeding |- | 1936 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|1R || Sarah Palfrey Fabyan || data-sort-value="2"|Second |- | 1937 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|3R || Marie Horn || data-sort-value="4"|Fourth foreign |- | 1937 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|QF || Alice Marble || data-sort-value="1"|First |- | 1938 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|2R || Margaret Osborne || data-sort-value="0"|None |- | 1938 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|QF || Simone Mathieu || data-sort-value="2"|Second foreign |- | 1939 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|3R || Freda James || data-sort-value="5"|Fifth foreign |- | 1941 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|3R || Patricia Canning Todd || data-sort-value="0"|None |- | 1943 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|QF || Margaret Osborne || data-sort-value="3"|Third |- | 1944 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|2R || Patricia Canning Todd || data-sort-value="0"|None |- | 1944 || U.S. National Championships || style="text-align:center;"|QF || Doris Hart || data-sort-value="2"|Second |- | 1946 || Wimbledon Championships || style="text-align:center;"|4R || Betty Nuthall || data-sort-value="0"|None |- | 1946 || Wimbledon Championships || style="text-align:center;"|QF || Katherine Stammers || data-sort-value="0"|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)===

{|class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:190px"|Championship !style="width:50px"|Surface !style="width:190px"|Opponent !style="width:100px" class="unsortable"|Score |- | style="background:#98fb98;" | Win || 1938 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|AUS}} Dorothy Stevenson || 6–3, 6–2 |}

===Doubles (3 runner-ups)===

{| class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:190px"|Championship !style="width:50px"|Surface !style="width:190px"|Partner !style="width:190px"|Opponents !style="width:100px" class="unsortable"|Score |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1938 || style="background:#ffc;"|Australian Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|USA}} Dorothy Workman || {{flagicon|AUS}} Nancye Wynne Bolton {{flagicon|AUS}} Thelma Coyne Long || 7–9, 4–6 |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1940 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. National Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Marjorie Gladman Van Ryn || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Alice Marble {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 3–6, 7–9 |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1941 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. National Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pauline Betz || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Margaret Osborne duPont {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 6–3, 1–6, 4–6 |}

===Mixed doubles (4 runner-ups)===

{| class="sortable wikitable" !Result !Year !style="width:190px"|Championship !style="width:50px"|Surface !style="width:190px"|Partner !style="width:190px"|Opponents !style="width:100px" class="unsortable"|Score |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1940 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. National Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Jack Kramer || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Alice Marble {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bobby Riggs || 7–9, 1–6 |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1944 || style="background:#ccf;"|U.S. National Championships || Grass || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Don McNeill || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Margaret Osborne duPont {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Bill Talbert || 2–6, 3–6 |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1946 || style="background:#cfc;"|Wimbledon || Grass || {{flagicon|AUS}} Geoff Brown || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Louise Brough {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Thomas Brown, Jr. || 4–6, 4–6 |- | style="background:#ffa07a;" | Loss || 1946 || style="background:#ebc2af;"|French Championships || Clay || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Thomas Brown, Jr || {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Pauline Betz {{flagicon|USA|1912}} Budge Patty || 5–7, 7–9 |}

==Other singles finals (54 titles, 60 runner-ups)== {{Unreferenced section|date=July 2019}} {|class="sortable wikitable" |- !Result !Week of !Tournament !Surface !Opponent !class="unsortable" | Score |- | Lost || Jul 24, 1933 || British Columbia Open Championships Victoria Lawn Tennis Club Victoria, British Columbia, Canada || Grass || Mary Campbell || 0–6, 6–2, 4–6 |- | Won || Sep 4, 1933 || Santa Monica City Open Santa Monica, California, U. S. || Hard || May Doeg Smith || 8–6, 6–3 |- | Won || Aug 13, 1934 || Long Beach Open Championships Long Beach, California, U. S. || Hard || Marjorie Lauderbach Blair || 10–8, 6–2 |- | Won || Apr 13, 1936 || Ambassador Hotel Invitational Ambassador Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Esther Hare Bartosh || 6–3, 6–2 |- | Won || Apr 20, 1936 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 7–5, 1–6, 6–4 |- | Lost || May 4, 1936 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Alice Marble || 2–6, 4–6 |- | Won || Jun 15, 1936 || City of Denver Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Fay Schwayder || 6–1, 6–1 |- | Won || Jul 6, 1936 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Gertrude Bishop Bixler || 6–1, 6–4 |- | Won || Dec 28, 1936 || Southern California Midwinter Championships La Cienega Tennis Club Beverley Hills, California, U. S. || Hard || Jacque Virgil Nelson || 6–1, 3–6, 6–1 |- | Won || Apr 5, 1937 || Ambassador Hotel Invitational Ambassador Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Barbara Winslow || 6–4, 8–6 |- | Won || Apr 19, 1937 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Barbara Winslow || 6–2, 6–2 |- | Won || May 3, 1937 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U.S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–1, 6–8, 7–5 |- | Lost || Jun 28, 1937 || Hotel del Coronado Invitational Coronado, California, U. S. || Hard || Bonnie Miller Blank || 5–7, 4–6 |- | Won || Jul 12, 1937 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Carolin Babcock || 4–6, 6–0, 6–3 |- | Won || Dec 6, 1937 || Victorian Championships Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club Melbourne, Australia || Grass || Nancye Wynne Bolton || 6–4, 1–6, 6–4 |- | Won || Apr 18, 1938 || Ambassador Hotel Invitational Ambassador Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || May Doeg Smith || 8–6, 3–6, 6–2 |- | Won || Apr 25, 1938 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Gertrude Bishop Bixler || 6–3, 6–3 |- | Lost || May 23, 1938 || Middlesex Championships Chiswick Park Lawn Tennis Club London, United Kingdom || Grass || Jadwiga Jędrzejowska || 5–7, 2–6 |- | Lost || Jul 11, 1938 || Scottish Championships Peebles, Scotland || Grass || Mary Hardwick || 2–6, 5–7 |- | Lost || Jul 25, 1938 || Seabright Invitational Seabright Lawn Tennis and Cricket Club Rumson, New Jersey, U. S. || Grass || Alice Marble || 2–6, 2–6 |- | Lost || Aug 8, 1938 || Eastern Grass Court Championships Westchester Country Club Rye, New York, U. S. || Grass || Alice Marble || 5–7, 0–6 |- | Won || Sep 26, 1938 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 6–4, 6–4 |- | Won || Jan 9, 1939 || Palm Springs Invitational Palm Springs Tennis Club Palm Springs, California, U. S. || Hard || Mary Arnold Prentiss || 6–4, 6–2 |- | Won || Jun 26, 1939 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Marjorie Gladman Van Ryn || 6–3, 4–6, 6–4 |- | Lost || Sep 25, 1939 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Alice Marble || 7–9, 1–6 |- | Lost || Jan 8, 1940 || Palm Springs Invitational El Mirador Tennis Club Palm Springs, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Bernhard || 3–6, 4–6 |- | Won || Apr 15, 1940 || Beverley Hills Invitational La Cienega Tennis Club Beverley Hills, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Bernhard || 6–2, 7–5 |- | Won || Apr 22, 1940 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 6–4, 6–4 |- | Won || Jun 24, 1940 || Hotel del Coronado Invitational Coronado, California, U. S. || Hard || Louise Brough || 3–6, 6–1, 6–4 |- | Won || Jul 8, 1940 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Esther Hare Bartosh || 7–5, 6–4 |- | Lost || Jul 15, 1940 || Eastern Clay Court Championships Jackson Heights Tennis Club New York City, New York, U. S. || Clay || Virginia Wolfenden || 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 |- | Won || Jul 29, 1940 || Maidstone Invitational Maidstone Club East Hampton, New York, U. S. || Grass || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–2, 6–3 |- | Won || Sep 16, 1940 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Valerie Scott || 6–3, 6–3 |- | Won || Nov 11, 1940 || Championships of the Argentine Buenos Aires, Argentina || Clay || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 6–1, 4–6, 6–3 |- | Won || Nov 25, 1940 || International Tournament of Uruguay Montevideo, 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 Fluminense Rio de Janeiro, Brazil || Clay || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 2–6, 1–6 |- | Lost || Jan 20, 1941 || Florida West Coast Championships St. Petersburg, Florida, U. S. || Clay || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 5–7, 1–6 |- | Lost || Feb 3, 1941 || South Florida Championships West Palm Beach, Florida, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 4–6, 1–6 |- | Lost || Feb 17, 1941 || Miami Biltmore Round Robin Miami Biltmore Country Club Coral Gables, Florida, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 3–6 |- | Lost || Feb 24, 1941 || Southeastern Sectional Championships Jacksonville, Florida, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 4–6, 9–11 |- | Lost || Mar 24, 1941 || U.S. National Indoor Championships Longwood Cricket Club Brookline, Massachusetts, U. S. || Indoor wood || Pauline Betz || 1–6, 12–10, 2–6 |- | Won || Apr 14, 1941 || River Oaks Invitational River Oaks Country Club Houston, Texas, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 5–7, 6–4, 11–9 |- | Won || Jun 2, 1941 || Heart of America Championships Rockhill Club Kansas City, Missouri, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 6–2, 2–6, 6–3 |- | Lost || Jun 23, 1941 || Hotel del Coronado Invitational Coronado, California, U. S. || Hard || Louise Brough || 2–6, 11–9, 2–6 |- | Lost || Jun 30, 1941 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Nina Browm || 6–8, 5–7 |- | Lost || Jul 7, 1941 || Western Sectional Championships Woodstock Country Club Indianapolis, Indiana, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 7–9, 6–4, 3–6 |- | Lost || Sep 15, 1941 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 3–6, 5–7 |- | Lost || Nov 17, 1941 || Championships of the Argentine Buenos Aires, Argentina || Clay || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 6–3, 7–9, 5–7 |- | Lost || Feb 9, 1942 || Florida State Championships Orlando, Florida, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 1–6, 4–6 |- | Won || Jun 29, 1942 || Colorado State Championships Denver Country Club Denver, Colorado, U. S. || Clay || Pearl Harland || |- | Won || Aug 31, 1942 || Santa Monica City Open Santa Monica, California, U. S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–3, 6–3 |- | Won || Jan 25, 1943 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–4, 6–1 |- | Lost || May 31, 1943 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Louise Brough || 3–6, 2–6 |- | Lost || Oct 11, 1943 || Pan American International Championships Mexico City, Mexico || Clay || Pauline Betz || 5–7, 4–6 |- | Won || Jun 12, 1944 || U.S. National Clay Court Championships Detroit Tennis Club Detroit, Michigan, U. S. || Clay || Mary Arnold Prentiss || 7–5, 6–4 |- | Won || Jun 19, 1944 || Tri-State Championships Cincinnati Tennis Club Cincinnati, Ohio, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 7–5, 6–4 |- | Lost || Jul 3, 1944 || Western Sectional Championships Neenah, Wisconsin, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 1–6, 2–6 |- | Lost || Jul 10, 1944 || Chicago Open River Forest Tennis Club River Forest, Illinois, U. S. || Clay || Mary Arnold Prentiss || 7–9, 4–6 |- | Lost || Aug 16, 1944 || Longwood Bowl Invitational Longwood Cricket Club Brookline, Massachusetts, U. S. || Grass || Louise Brough || 2–6, 4–6 |- | Lost || Jun 25, 1945 || Tri-State Championships Cincinnati Tennis Club Cincinnati, Ohio, U. S. || Clay || Pauline Betz || 2–6, 0–6 |- | Lost || Aug 20, 1945 || Maidstone Invitational Maidstone Club East Hampton, New York, U. S. || Grass || Sarah Palfrey Cooke || 6–8, 4–6 |- | Lost || Jan 7, 1946 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 9–7, 3–6, 3-6 |- | Lost || Mar 18, 1946 || Town House Invitational Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 4–6, 1-6 |- | Lost || Apr 8, 1946 || Beverly Hills Invitational La Cienega Tennis Club Beverly Hills, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 3–6, 1-6 |- | Won || May 6, 1946 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 6–1, 3–6, 6-1 |- | Won || May 20, 1946 || California State Championships California Club Berkeley, California, U. S. || Hard || Dorothy Head Knode || 6–4, 7-5 |- | Won || Jul 29, 1946 || Prague International Championships Prague, Czechoslovakia || Clay || _____ Solcova || 6–2, 6–1 |- | Won || Aug 5, 1946 || Gstaad International Championships Gstaad, Switzerland || Clay || Helena Straubeová || 6–4, 6–1 |- | Won || Aug 12, 1946 || International Swiss Championships Lucerne, Switzerland || Clay || Shared with Nelly Adamson Landry || |- | Lost || Sep 23, 1946 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 2–6, 2–6 |- | Lost || Feb 3, 1947 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Pauline Betz || 4–6, 3-6 |- | Won || Mar 13, 1950 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Spring Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–1, 6-2 |- | Lost || Apr 24, 1950 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Pastall Perez || 6–4, 4–6, 3–6 |- | Lost || Sep 11, 1950 || Pacific Southwest Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Pastall Perez || 2–6, 2–6 |- | Won || Jun 16, 1952 || Hotel del Coronado Invitational Coronado, California, U. S. || Hard || Gracyn Wheeler Kelleher || 6–3, 6–4 |- | Lost || Aug 18, 1952 || Santa Monica City Open Santa Monica, California, U. S. || Hard || Beverly Baker Fleitz || 2–6, 3–6 |- | Lost || Feb 2, 1953 || Thunderbird Invitational Phoenix, Arizona, U. S. || Hard || Anita Kanter || 6–3, 4–6, 3–6 |- | Lost || Feb 9, 1953 || Palm Springs Winter Invitational Palm Springs, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Pastall Perez || 6–3, 9–11, 4–6 |- | Won || Apr 20, 1953 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Darlene Hard || 6–3, 6–2 |- | Lost || May 4, 1953 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Helen Pastall Perez || 2–6, 4–6 |- | Lost || Jun 22, 1953 || Hotel del Coronado Invitational Coronado, 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 Tournament Santa Monica, California, U. S. || Hard || Beverly Baker Fleitz || 3–6, 4–6 |- | Lost || Feb 8, 1954 || Palm Springs Winter Invitational Palm Springs, California, U. S. || Hard || Helen Pastall Perez || 9–7, 2–6, retired |- | Lost || Apr 22, 1954 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai Valley Tennis Club Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Mary Arnold Prentiss || 6–1, 4–6, 2–6 |- | Won || Jul 19, 1954 || Colorado State Championships Denver, 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 Tournament Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Barbara Breit || 6–4, 9–7 |- | Lost || Apr 30, 1956 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Beverly Baker Fleitz || 5–7, 2–6 |- | Won || Feb 4, 1957 || Palm Desert Invitational Shadow Mountain Club Palm Desert, California, U. S. || Hard || Patricia Canning Todd || 4–6, 6–1, 6–4 |- | Lost || May 13, 1957 || San Bernardino Open Perris Hill Park San Bernardino, California, U. S. || Hard || Joan Johnson || 2-6, retired |- | Won || Jul 1, 1957 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Marilyn Joseph || 6–3, 6-2 |- | Won || Aug 12, 1957 || Beverly Hills Invitational La Cienega Tennis Club Beverly Hills, California, U. S. || Hard || Barbara Green Weigandt || 6–3, 6-0 |- | Won || Aug 26, 1957 || Santa Monica City Tournament Santa Monica, California, U. S. || Hard || Beverly Baker Fleitz || 6–3, 0–6, 6–4 |- | Lost || Oct 21, 1957 || Riverside Tennis Club Invitational Riverside, California, U. S. || Hard || Darlene Hard || 6–3, 8–10, 4–6 |- | Lost || Oct 21, 1957 || Balboa Bay Club Invitational Newport Beach, California, U. S. || Hard || Beverly Baker Fleitz || 4–6, 1–6 |- | Won || Jul 10, 1958 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Mary Arnold Prentiss || 6–4, 6-2 |- | Lost || Sep 29, 1958 || Riverside Press-Enterprise Invitational Riverside Tennis Club Riverside, California, U. S. || Hard || Karen Hantze Susman || 2–6, 1–6 |- | Lost || Jul 9, 1959 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Karen Hantze Susman || 2–6, 7-9 |- | Lost || Feb 8, 1960 || Palm Desert Invitational Shadow Mountain Club Palm Desert, California, U. S. || Hard || Carole Caldwell Graebner || 6–1, 3–6, 4–6 |- | Lost || Apr 18, 1960 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Karen Hantze Susman || 0–6, 0–6 |- | Won || 1960 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Judy Minna || 6–1, 6-3 |- | Won || Jul 3, 1961 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Kathy Blake Bryan || 6–1, 6-4 |- | Lost || Apr 23, 1962 || Ojai Valley Tennis Tournament Ojai, California, U. S. || Hard || Carole Caldwell Graebner || 7–5, 2–6, 5–7 |- | Won || Jul 2, 1962 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Patricia Cody || 6–2, 6-3 |- | Won || Jul 1, 1963 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Kathy Chabot || 6–2, 1–6, 6-1 |- | Lost || 1964 || Palm Desert Invitational Shadow Mountain Club Palm Desert, California, U. S. || Hard || Karen Hantze Susman || 5–7, 4–6 |- | Won || Jul 9, 1964 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Patricia Hogan Fordyce || 7–5, 6-1 |- | Lost || Jul 5, 1965 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Patricia Hogan Fordyce || 2–6, 4-6 |- | Lost || Jul 4, 1966 || La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club Summer Invitational La Jolla, California, U. S. || Hard || Patricia Hogan Fordyce || 7–5, 3–6, 4-6 |- | Lost || May 8, 1967 || Southern California Sectional Championships Los Angeles Tennis Club Los Angeles, U. S. || Hard || Tory Fretz || 7–9, retired |- | Won || Aug 4, 1969 || British Columbia Open Championships Victoria, British Columbia, Canada || || Mary Struthers || 6-4, 8-6 |- | Lost || Aug 4, 1969 || British Columbia Open Championships Victoria, British Columbia, Canada || || Cynthia Marquette || 2-6, 4-6 |}

==Grand Slam singles tournament timeline== {{Performance key|short=yes|active=no}} {|class="wikitable" |- style="background:#efefef;" ! Tournament !! 1936 !! 1937 !! 1938 !! 1939 !! 1940 !! 1941 !! 1942 !! 1943 !! 1944 !! 1945 !! 19461 !! 19471 !! 1948 !! 1949 - 1954 !! 1955 !! 1956 - 1958 !! 1959 !! Career SR |- | style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Australian Championships | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#0f0;"| '''W''' | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"| '''1 / 1''' |- | style="background:#EFEFEF;" | French Championships | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| R | style="text-align:center;"| R | style="text-align:center;"| R | style="text-align:center;"| R | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"| SF | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"| '''0 / 1''' |- | style="background:#EFEFEF;" | Wimbledon Championships | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|4R | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center;"| NH | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"| '''0 / 2''' |- | style="background:#EFEFEF;" | U.S. National Championships | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF | style="text-align:center; background:yellow;"|SF | style="text-align:center; background:#ffebcd;"|QF | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|2R | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|3R | style="text-align:center;"|A | style="text-align:center; background:#afeeee;"|1R | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"| '''0 / 13''' |- | style="background:#EFEFEF;" | SR | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|1 / 3 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 0 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 3 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 0 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 0 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 0 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"|0 / 1 | style="text-align:center; background:#efefef;"| '''1 / 17''' |}

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.

==References== {{reflist}}

== External links == * {{Tennis Hall of Fame}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cheney, Dorothy}} Category:1916 births Category:2014 deaths Category:American female tennis players Category:Australian Championships (tennis) champions Category:Tennis players from Los Angeles Category:Rollins College alumni Category:International Tennis Hall of Fame inductees Category:Grand Slam (tennis) champions in women's singles Category:21st-century American women Category:20th-century American sportswomen