Charles Darlington "Buzz" Strode Jr. (born September 5, 1957) is a former professional tennis player from the United States.

Charles Strode
Country (sports)United States United States
Born (1957-09-05) September 5, 1957 (age 66)
San Diego, California
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
PlaysRight-handed
Prize money$108,448
Singles
Career record8–23
Career titles0
Highest rankingNo. 158 (December 22, 1980)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open1R (1982, 1983)
French Open1R (1982)
Doubles
Career record54–84
Career titles1
Highest rankingNo. 50 (January 3, 1983)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenQF (1982)
French Open3R (1984)
WimbledonQF (1985)
US OpenQF (1982)
Mixed doubles
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
French OpenF (1983)
WimbledonSF (1982, 1983)
US Open2R (1982)

Career edit

Strode was most successful at doubles, often playing beside his brother Morris "Skip" Strode.[1] It was with his brother that he made the men's doubles quarter-finals at the US Open and Australian Open in 1982.[1] His other Grand Slam quarter-final appearance in the men's doubles, at the 1985 Wimbledon Championships, was with South African Eddie Edwards.[1] Strode and his brother won the 1982 Hong Kong and were also runners-up in Bangkok that year.[1]

He made one Grand Slam mixed doubles final, which was with Leslie Allen at the 1983 French Open.[2] They lost the final to fellow Americans Barbara Jordan and Eliot Teltscher.[3]

Strode competed in the singles draw at three Grand Slam tournaments, but lost in the opening round each time, to Gustavo Tiberti at the 1982 French Open, Rod Frawley at the 1982 Australian Open and Mark Edmondson at the 1983 Australian Open.[1] His best singles performance on the Grand Prix tennis circuit came at the Tokyo Outdoor tournament, where he had a win over Tim Gullikson, en route to the quarter-finals.[1]


Personal life edit

Charles has a daughter Courtney Strode who is a professional soccer player.[4]

Grand Slam finals edit

Mixed doubles: 1 (0–1) edit

Result Year Championship Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1983 French Open Clay   Leslie Allen   Barbara Jordan
  Eliot Teltscher
2–6, 3–6

Grand Prix career finals edit

Doubles: 2 (1–1) edit

Result W/L Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1–0 1982 Hong Kong Hard   Morris Strode   Kim Warwick
  Van Winitsky
6–4, 3–6, 6–2
Loss 1–1 1982 Bangkok, Thailand Carpet   Morris Strode   Mike Bauer
  John Benson
5–7, 6–3, 3–6

Challenger titles edit

Doubles: (7) edit

No. Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
1. 1982 Chigasaki, Japan Clay   Morris Strode   Sashi Menon
  Walter Redondo
6–3, 6–4
2. 1982 Nagareyama, Japan Hard   Morris Strode   Sashi Menon
  Walter Redondo
4–6, 6–1, 6–4
3. 1982 Sao Paulo, Brazil Clay   Morris Strode   Pablo Arraya
  Víctor Pecci
6–1, 6–4
4. 1983 Tokyo, Japan Hard   Morris Strode   David Dowlen
  Jeff Turpin
6–3, 6–4
5. 1984 Agadir, Morocco Clay   Morris Strode   Juan Avendaño
  Emilio Sánchez
6–3, 6–4
6. 1985 Ogun, Nigeria Hard   Chris Dunk   Egan Adams
  Mark Wooldridge
7–5, 2–6, 6–3
7. 1986 Enugu, Nigeria Hard   Stanislav Birner   Brett Buffington
  Ted Erck
6–4, 7–6

References edit