Week 17 – ITF W35 Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt - Hard

foobarbaz · Strong Club Player

Week 17 – ITF W35 Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt - Hard

Strongbow · All-time great

It's only April and (if she can stay fit) Katie should be back in the GB top ten by end of year.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

foobarbaz wrote:
wales1994 wrote:
SuperT wrote:
I was really happy see Katie making her return at such a low key event. I've seen nothing about this is the main stream media which is good news as she doesn't need the pressure of expectation which media coverage would create. Hopefully she can continue to progress under the radar until (hopefully) she feels ready to show her face at some point during the grass court season.
I'm not sure Katie Swan is particularly newsworthy anymore - so I don't think the media would pick up on her returning even if it was at a British event.
But I'm glad to see her back, and hopeful she can remain healthy.
... I don't particularly disagree with what you say wales1994, .. but that's probably saying more about the MSM here in Britain, isn't it. Might be worth noting on here, that Swan was just a tournament tiebreak away from being British #1, before the back issues resurfaced and really knocked her for six, having to play a fresh Alize Cornet in Rnd #1 at Nottingham in June 2023, just a few days after a brutal showdown with Wickmayer in the Surbiton final. For further background, Wickmeyer had absolutely bullied Katie Boulter in straight sets in their semifinal encounter the previous day. Boulter then went on to win Nottingham.

-- Edited by foobarbaz on Friday 25th of April 2025 06:51:52 PM

That was probably the last time Swanny got major press attention. The MSM quickly loses interest in players who have long absences through injury and have to start almost from scratch again, e.g. Kyle Edmund.

Andy Parker · Club Coach

I think lots of those in tennis circles can see that when Katie Swan is playing at her best, she easily has the potential to be a top 100 player. The question is though, will she be a late developer in the adult ranks or will she never properly fulfil the potential that she showed as one of the best junior players that this country has ever produced.

I think what makes this comeback by her so intriguing are the parallels with Katie Boulter, who only really started to make it into the top echelons of tennis once she was in her mid twenties and had her best ranking last year at the age of 28, and I think having just turned 26 that Katie S still does have time to turn things around.

Hopefully Katie S is partially re-establishing herself here after so long out through injury and I really do think that anything can happen from here. I don't think it is beyond the realms of possibility that if she gets a tournament win somewhere or consistent form in the 35k's that she could get a Wimbledon wildcard entry into qualifying, and don't forget that she has previously managed to win three rounds of qualification to reach Wimbledon proper through the qualifes.

Anyway her qualify means it is always worth watching her results and I think her season could possibly be a lot better than others are expecting, and she is far too young to write off as a has been. Now at least she has a ranking again.

B00thy · Intermediate Club Player

I really hope she carefully manages her recovery from this tournament and going forward. I feel that what she needs is slow progress to building match strength. Although I would love the idea of her in Wimbledon qualifying, I hope she doesn't feel under pressure to play as it is possibly too soon. I'd rather she kept under the radar for a while.