Patty Schnyder was born December 14, 1978 in Bassel, Switzerland from father Willy, a financial manager and mother Iris, a housewife..She has a younger brother who plays tennis as whole her family.

Patty obtained her first recognition in 1993 when she won the Swiss Championships, as she did the following year. She finished her first year on the tour ranked #786 and was the player who moved the fastest the next year finishing #152... From then on, Patty improved gradually even reaching #8 in the world in 1999.