Katie Swan
British Tennis Player
Katie Swan is a British tennis player. She became Great Britain’s youngest Fed Cup player at the age of 16 when she played for her country in 2016.
Katie Swan
• Date of birth: 24 March 1999
• Age: 23 years old
• Place of birth: Bristol, UK
• Residence: London, UK
• Country (sports): Great Britain
• Height: 174cm / 5ft 7ins
• Plays: Right-handed
• Career Prize Money: US$ 544,207
• Instagram: @katieswan99
• Twitter: @katieswan99
The 23-year-old took tennis lessons while on holiday in Portugal when she was seven years old and her coach was so impressed that they told her parents that she could represent her country in the future.
Swan was a promising junior player and reached the final of the girls’ singles event at the Australian Open back in 2015.
In 2016, when she was 16 years old, she became Great Britain’s youngest Fed Cup player after being called up in the Euro/Africa Zone Group 1 tie against South Africa.
She qualified for the main draw at a WTA event for the first time in June 2018 at the Nottingham Open after having received wild cards into other tournaments previously.
So, what do we know about Katie’s journey to becoming the talented tennis player she is today? This is her story.
Early Life, Parents And Upbringing
Katie Swan was born on 24 March 1999 to parents Nicki and Richard in Bristol, England. She has a younger brother named Luke.
She was first encouraged to start playing tennis while on a family holiday when she was seven years old. Years later, Katie took to Twitter to post a picture of herself with the coach who first told her to start playing the sport.
Posting a picture of herself with Portuguese coach Joao on Twitter in July 2015, Swan wrote: “Reunited with the Portuguese coach who first told me to start playing tennis… all I can say is thank you Joao.”
Katie Swan with her parents and brother (Photo: @katieswan99 / Instagram)
Since 2018, Katie has been part of Andy Murray’s 77 Sports Management agency. Speaking after signing with the agency, Katie revealed that she has always looked up to Murray as one of her role models.
Katie Swan with her first coach Joao (Photo: Katie Swan / Twitter)
“Andy is someone I have always looked up to and he’ll be an invaluable mentor for me. I’m really excited to join the team at 77 Sports Management.”
Indeed, Katie first met Andy when she was just eight years old, after she won a national David Lloyd orange ball tournament and the Scot presented her with the trophy.
“There were so many kids there. I don’t think he would’ve remembered me from that,” said Katie in an interview in 2018. Andy presented the trophies and he hit with the kids a bit, it was kind of surreal at the time to meet him.”
A young Katie Swan with Andy Murray after she won a national David Lloyd orange ball tournament (Photo: Katie Swan / Twitter)
Katie relocated to Kansas in the United States with her family in 2013 for her father’s work, but now states that her home location is London on her Instagram account profile.
Junior Career
Swan enjoyed a strong junior career, which peaked in 2015 when she reached the final of the girls’ singles event at the Australian Open. She lost to Slovakia’s Tereza Mihalikova in the showpiece in Melbourne.
Katie Swan (Photo: @katieswan99 / Instagram)
Speaking after her defeat in the final, Swan said: “It’s actually been crazy. There have been so many people that sent me messages, tweeting, Facebook, Instagram.
“It’s been amazing. Obviously my best tournament I’ve ever played. I hope that there are a lot more tournaments like this for me.”
Looking back at reaching the final in Melbourne six years later, Swan admitted that her run at the junior Australian Open gave her the confidence that she would be able to compete at the top level.
Speaking in April 2021, she said: “Australia, when I made the final, was a really big milestone for me, just to know that I could compete with the best juniors in the world. Then soon after, I won my first professional tournament, so I think around that time was where I really believed I could go somewhere with tennis.”
Rise Up The Rankings
Swan won her first title on the lower-tier ITF professional circuit, triumphing at a $10k event in Sharm El Sheikh in March 2015.
She then made her WTA main draw debut at the Aegon Classic in Birmingham in June 2015 after she was handed a wildcard. She lost 6-2 6-2 to world number 48 Tsvetana Pironkova in the first round.
In October 2017, Swan won her first ITF $25k level tournament in Obidos, Portugal, triumphing after fellow Brit Katie Boulter retired in the first set of the final.
Katie Swan with Roger Federer
Her second $25k title arrived in May 2018 when she won at the Torneo Conchita MartInez in Monzon, Spain.
Swan continued to make steady progress and qualified for the main draw of a WTA tournament for the first time by right at the 2018 Nottingham Open.
After coming through qualifying in Nottingham, Swan said: “It feels so good. It’s the first time I’ve got in on my own ranking, so it feels really good. All the hard work I’ve been doing this year is finally paying off.”
She lost 7-6 7-5 to Germany’s Mona Barthel in the first round in Nottingham.
Swan was handed a wildcard for Wimbledon 2018 and she won her first grand slam main-draw match at SW19 in the first round, defeating world number 36 Irina-Camelia Begu, 6–2 6–2. She fell in the second round to Mihaela Buzarnescu of Romania.
At Wimbledon 2021, Swan came through qualifying to reach the main draw, where she lost in the first round to 23rd seed Madison Keys.
Earnings And Prize Money
Katie Swan has earned a total of US$ 544,207 in prize money for combined singles and doubles, as of June 2022.
Katie Swan (Photo: @katieswan99 / Instagram)
Life Away From The Court
Katie is a big dog lover, and according to her profile on the official WTA website, she owns four pups.
Away from tennis, she enjoys playing the piano, and is a big fan of the UK reality television show Love Island.
Katie Swan (Photo: @katieswan99 / Instagram)
What Have Others Said?
Andy Murray, speaking after Katie Swan joined his 77 Sports Management agency back in 2018: “Katie is a player I’ve been watching for a while. She’s got great potential and has already had some good results. I’m hoping we can offer support to her in areas on and off the court and complement the team she has in place already.”
Katie Swan (Photo: @katieswan99 / Instagram)
Judy Murray, speaking after the 16-year-old Swan was called up to represent Great Britain in the Fed Cup in 2016 following Johanna Konta’s absence due to illness: “We were always going to bring her with us for experience but it’s given her a wonderful opportunity to play. She’s got a very good head on her shoulders and is good at following tactical instruction. I think it’s a really good test of her character, some will say ‘bring it on, give me some of that,’ and others are afraid of it but I think she’s someone who loves the big occasion.
