Katie Swan

Early and personal life

Swan was born in Bristol, to parents Nicki and Richard. Whilst on holiday in Portugal when she was seven, she took tennis lessons to pass the time. Her teacher had once played for Portugal and told her parents, that she showed real talent. On the family’s return to Abbots Leigh, Bristol, Swan had regular tennis lessons with Rob Hawkins, junior programme manager and head coach at the David Lloyd club. Hawkins coached Swan until she was eleven, watching her develop into a promising player on the international circuit.

Swan was head girl at Bristol prep The Downs School and was a keen hockey player, representing Avon and her school when they qualified for the Under-13 national finals. She briefly attended the independent Bristol Grammar School until the family moved to Wichita, Kansas in 2013 due to her father’s job in the oil industry. Swan is one of the very few junior players on the competitive circuit who is still in school, Wichita Collegiate School, though she has been taking online classes since August 2015.

Junior career

In 2007, Rob Hawkins brought Swan to the attention of the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) when she was eight and as a result, she began to receive LTA support and funding.

In 2009, Swan won her first international tournament in Croatia, the prestigious Smrikve Bowl event for 10-year-olds, and went on to win an Under 10s international title.

In 2014, Swan was a member of the four-strong GB squad, coached by Judy Murray, that triumphed in the Maureen Connolly Challenge Trophy, an annual Under-18s competition against the USA.

On 30 January 2015, Swan defeated Dalma Gálfi after facing three match points to reach her first junior Grand Slam final at the Australian Open, where she lost 6–1 6–4 to Tereza Mihalikova. .

For the 2nd successive year Swan was singles runner-up playing the prestigious Easter Bowl at Indian Wells losing 2–1 to 14-year-old Clare Liu a day after winning the doubles final playing with Sofia Kenin.

2015

In March, just before her sixteenth birthday, Swan achieved her first victories on the senior tour, coming through the qualifying draw to win a $10K ITF tournament in Sharm-el-Sheikh. She beat 7th seed Julia Terziyska 6–2, 6–2 in the final, having already dispatched two seeds in earlier rounds.

Judy Murray, captain of Great Britain Fed Cup team, already has Swan in her plans, to represent GB in 2016.

In June, Swan competed at the Wimbledon qualifying tournament after being granted a wild card entry, beating 9th seed and 118th ranked Kristína Kučová in the first round in straight sets. However, she was unable to repeat this performance and lost to Tamira Paszek in the second round.

Swan is on tour with LTA coach Julien Picot but when at home, trains with Collin Foster, Wichita State women’s coach, and Rex Coad, head professional at Wichita Country Club, but does nothing with the USTA, United States Tennis Association.

2016

Swan was called up for her Great Britain Fed Cup debut in the Euro/Africa Zone Group 1 tie against South Africa. Swan became the youngest British player in Fed Cup history at the age of 16 years and 316 days, beating the record of Anne Keothavong by 270 days. Swan beat Ilze Hattingh 6-3, 6-0 in the opening match of the tie. Great Britain went on to beat South Africa 3-0. During grass season (July) Swan received a Wild card (sports) into women's main draw at The Championships, Wimbledon where she played Tímea Babos (WTA 35 CH25), Swan lost 6-2, 6-3.

2017

Following problems in late 2016/early 2017 from recurring back spasms, Swan returned at the Soho Square Egypt Women's Future in Sharm El Sheikh, winning the USD15,000 tournament by beating the Turkish player Pemra Özgen 6-3, 6-1 in the final. Followed in March with another tournament win, again at Sharm El Sheikh against German player Julia Wachaczyk 6-4, 7-5 in the final, putting Swan into the top ten United Kingdom female players.