Karin Kschwendt


Karin Kschwendt 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 August 12, 1996. In doubles, she went as high as No. 45 on February 16, 1996.
Kschwendt was born in Switzerland, to Austrian parents Heinz and Edith, but grew up in Luxembourg, where she lived for 23 years.

Tennis career

Kschwendt made her professional debut in 1986, where 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 her country to reach the third round of a Grand Slam, 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. 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 on Tour were mostly spent playing on the ITF Women's Circuit and qualifications of WTA events. In 2000, she played her last professional match.

WTA Tour finals

Singles (3 runners-up)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Loss1.May 1992Liège, BelgiumClay Radka Bobková3–6, 6–4, 2–6

Doubles (6 titles, 2 runner-ups)

ResultNo.DateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponentsScore
Win1.Jul 1990Palermo, ItalyClay Laura Garrone Florencia Labat
Barbara Romanò
6–2, 6–4
Win2.Sep 1990Athens, GreeceClay Laura Garrone Leona Lásková
Jana Pospíšilová
6–0, 1–6, 7–6
Win3.Jul 1992Prague, Czech RepublicClay Petra Schwarz Eva Švíglerová
Noëlle van Lottum
6–4, 2–6, 7–5
Win4.Jul 1993Palermo, ItalyClay Natalia Medvedeva Silvia Farina
Brenda Schultz
6–4, 7–6
Win5.Sep 1993Hong KongHard Rachel McQuillan Debbie Graham
Marianne Werdel
1–6, 7–6, 6–2
Win6.Feb 1995San Juan, Puerto RicoHard Rene Simpson Laura Golarsa
Linda Harvey-Wild
6–2, 0–6, 6–4
Loss7.Apr 1998Makarska, CroatiaClay Evgenia Kulikovskaya Tina Križan
Katarina Srebotnik
6–7, 1–6
Loss8.Jul 1998Warsaw, PolandHard Liezel Horn Karina Habšudová
Olga Lugina
6–7, 5–7

ITF Finals

Singles finals: 5 (2-3)

OutcomeNo.DateTournamentSurfaceOpponentScore
Runner-up1.28 September 1987Bol, YugoslaviaClay Jana Pospíšilová3–6, 3–6
Runner-up2.12 October 1987Mali Lošinj, YugoslaviaClay Jana Pospíšilová4–6, 4–6
Winner3.8 August 1988Palermo, ItalyClay Marzia Grossi4–6, 6–0, 6–1
Runner-up4.26 February 1990Wels, AustriaClay Marion Maruska6–3, 1–6, 4–6
Winner5.6 July 1992Erlangen, GermanyClay Anna Földényi6–4, 6–2

Doubles finals: 7 (3-4)

OutcomeNoDateTournamentSurfacePartnerOpponents in the finalScore
Winner1.4 October 1987Rabac, YugoslaviaClay Amy van Buuren Marielle Rooimans
Nicolette Rooimans
6–3, 6–4
Winner3.26 March 1990Madrid, SpainClay Patricia Miller Natalia Biletskaya
Svetlana Komleva
4–6, 7–5, 6–3
Runner-up3.5 February 1996Würzburg, GermanyCarpet Eva Martincová Stephanie Gomperts
Stephanie Rottier
2–6, 3–6
Winner4.15 September 1997Sofia, BulgariaClay Sandra Klösel Sandra Načuk
Dragana Zarić
6–4, 6–4
Runner-up5.2 August 1998Salt Lake City, United StatesHard Liezel Horn Mariaan de Swardt
Samantha Smith
2–6, 2–6
Runner-up6.21 September 1998Bucharest, RomaniaClay Lenka Cenková Eva Bes
Rosa María Andrés Rodríguez
6–4, 6–7, 0–6
Runner-up7.5 December 1998New Delhi, IndiaHard Tina Križan Lenka Cenková
Amanda Hopmans
W/O