Karin Kschwendt (born 14 September 1968) is a former professional tennis player who represented Luxembourg, Germany and Austria at various points in her career. She reached her career-high ranking of world No. 37 on 12 August 1996.[1] In doubles, she went as high as No. 45 in February 1996.[1]

Karin Kschwendt
Country (sports) Luxembourg (–Nov 1991)
 Germany (Dec 1991–Sep 1996)
 Austria (Oct 1996–)
ResidenceVienna, Austria
Born (1968-09-14) 14 September 1968 (age 56)
Sorengo, Switzerland
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Turned pro1986
Retired2000
PlaysRight-handed (two-handed backhand)
Prize money$674,599
Singles
Career record244–221
Career titles0 WTA, 2 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 37 (12 August 1996)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian Open3R (1991, 1996)
French Open3R (1994)
Wimbledon3R (1990)
US Open2R (1990, 1995, 1996)
Doubles
Career record158–181
Career titles6 WTA, 3 ITF
Highest rankingNo. 45 (19 February 1996)

Kschwendt was born in Switzerland[2] to Austrian parents Heinz and Edith, but grew up in Luxembourg, where she lived for 23 years.

Tennis career

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Kschwendt made her professional debut in 1986, when she played for Luxembourg during a Fed Cup tie. She continued to represent Luxembourg in the early part of her career, and in 1990 became the first female player from that country to reach the third round of a Grand Slam tournament, a feat that she achieved at Wimbledon, before she lost to Martina Navratilova.

In 1991, she reached the third round of the Australian Open, a result that broke her into the top 100, and finished the year at No. 88, but soon left in early 1992 after a lengthy break with injury. She came back stronger and managed to finish 1992 as the No. 78 in the world.

Kschwendt began to achieve solid results in 1993; now playing for Germany, she reached the semifinals of Auckland, the quarterfinals of Paris, and made her first and only WTA Tour final at an event in Belgium (she lost to Radka Bobková). The following year, she reached the third round of a major once more, this time at the French Open, but fell to Iva Majoli.

1996 saw Kschwendt put together her best season, reaching the third round of the Australian Open and achieving consistent results in WTA Tour events. She finished that year at No. 47, but went as high as No. 37 in August.

In 1997, she played her only match for the Austria Fed Cup team, losing her doubles match against Croatia.

Her last few years were mostly spent playing on the ITF Women's Circuit and qualifying rounds of WTA events. In 2000, she played her last match on the professional tour.

WTA career finals

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Tournament ( W–R ) Singles Doubles
Grand Slam tournaments 0–0 0–0
Tier I 0–0 0–0
Tier II 0–0 0–0
Tier III 0–0 1–0
Tier IV 0–1 4–1
Surface ( W–R ) Singles Doubles
Hard 0–0 2–1
Clay 0–1 4–1
Grass 0–0 0–0
Carpet 0–0 0–0

Singles: 1 (runner-up)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Loss 1. May 1993 Belgian Open Clay   Radka Bobková 3–6, 6–4, 2–6

Doubles: 8 (6 titles, 2 runner-ups)

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Result No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win 1. Jul 1990 Palermo Open, Italy Clay   Laura Garrone   Florencia Labat
  Barbara Romanò
6–2, 6–4
Win 2. Sep 1990 Athens Trophy, Greece Clay   Laura Garrone   Leona Lásková
  Jana Pospíšilová
6–0, 1–6, 7–6(8–6)
Win 3. Jul 1992 Prague Open, Czech Republic Clay   Petra Schwarz   Eva Švíglerová
  Noëlle van Lottum
6–4, 2–6, 7–5
Win 4. Jul 1993 Palermo Open, Italy Clay   Natalia Medvedeva   Silvia Farina
  Brenda Schultz
6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Win 5. Sep 1993 Hong Kong Open, China Hard   Rachel McQuillan   Debbie Graham
  Marianne Werdel
1–6, 7–6, 6–2
Win 6. Feb 1995 Puerto Rico Open Hard   Rene Simpson   Laura Golarsa
  Linda Harvey-Wild
6–2, 0–6, 6–4
Loss 7. Apr 1998 Makarska International, Croatia Clay   Evgenia Kulikovskaya   Tina Križan
  Katarina Srebotnik
6–7(3–7), 1–6
Loss 8. Jul 1998 Warsaw Open, Poland Hard   Liezel Horn   Karina Habšudová
  Olga Lugina
6–7(2–7), 5–7

ITF finals

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$100,000 tournaments
$75,000 tournaments
$50,000 tournaments
$25,000 tournaments
$10,000 tournaments

Singles: 5 (2–3)

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Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Runner-up 1. 28 September 1987 Bol, Yugoslavia Clay   Jana Pospíšilová 3–6, 3–6
Runner-up 2. 12 October 1987 Mali Lošinj, Yugoslavia Clay   Jana Pospíšilová 4–6, 4–6
Winner 3. 8 August 1988 Palermo, Italy Clay   Marzia Grossi 4–6, 6–0, 6–1
Runner-up 4. 26 February 1990 Wels, Austria Clay   Marion Maruska 6–3, 1–6, 4–6
Winner 5. 6 July 1992 Erlangen, Germany Clay   Anna Földényi 6–4, 6–2

Doubles: 7 (3–4)

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Outcome No. Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Winner 1. 4 October 1987 Rabac, Yugoslavia Clay   Amy van Buuren   Marielle Rooimans
  Nicolette Rooimans
6–3, 6–4
Winner 2. 26 March 1990 Madrid, Spain Clay   Patricia Miller   Natalia Biletskaya
  Svetlana Komleva
4–6, 7–5, 6–3
Runner-up 3. 5 February 1996 Würzburg, Germany Carpet (i)   Eva Martincová   Stephanie Gomperts
  Stephanie Rottier
2–6, 3–6
Winner 4. 15 September 1997 Sofia, Bulgaria Clay   Sandra Klösel   Sandra Načuk
  Dragana Zarić
6–4, 6–4
Runner-up 5. 2 August 1998 Salt Lake City, United States Hard   Liezel Horn   Mariaan de Swardt
  Samantha Smith
2–6, 2–6
Runner-up 6. 21 September 1998 Bucharest, Romania Clay   Lenka Cenková   Eva Bes
  Rosa María Andrés Rodríguez
6–4, 6–7(6), 0–6
Runner-up 7. 5 December 1998 New Delhi, India Hard   Tina Križan   Lenka Cenková
  Amanda Hopmans
w/o

References

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  1. ^ a b "Karin Kschwendt Stats". Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  2. ^ "Karin Kschwendt International Tennis Federation Player Profile". Retrieved 2010-05-17.
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