GSTAAD, Switzerland – Patty Schnyder was set to play first WTA main draw match since 2011 before a rain storm held serve, canceling her scheduled first round encounter with Katerina Siniakova on Tuesday. Nonetheless, the former World No.7 was optimistic about taking her comeback to the next level.
“It all depends,” she told press when asked what she would consider a good week. “If I play a great match in the first round, and my opponent plays an even better one – because they can all say – why couldn’t I call that a good week? But obviously I feel ready and I want to win the match once I step on the court. I’d feel the same way with a quarterfinal.”
Schnyder made a tentative return to tennis last summer by playing a series of ITF Challenger tournaments, and was offered a wildcard to play qualifying at the Volvo Car Open, a tournament she’d twice finished runner-up in 2002 and 2006.
“There’ve been challenges everywhere, every week I go, I find challenges. I’m not really watching the rankings too much, and most of the girls, I don’t even know, so I’m just trying to adapt, see how they play and feel good with myself and my tennis.”
Awarded a main draw wild card at the inaugural Ladies Championship Gstaad alongside young countrywoman and junior French Open champion Rebeka Masarova, Schnyder won’t handicap the field too much, opting for a full immersion before analyzing just how much has changed since she was a fixture in the Top 10.
“It’s really hard to tell because I think you can only judge it once you play the girls. It’s not so easy to watch on TV and make a comment. Like I said, I was able to play in the German league, several matches against Top 100 players. I played one that was really physical with Friedsam, and I think it’s going in that direction, with the serve and return really improving.
“The constants, playing the rallies, that feels the same. Maybe I’m missing a bit more than before, but I have to play a few more of these girls to really say something.”
All photos courtesy of Ladies Championship Gstaad.
