Cindy Merlo is the leading female Swiss player on Tour, and she broke inside the world’s top 40 for the first time at the start of 2022.

She made her debut on Tour in 2016, reaching her first quarter-finals a year later, at the Grand Sport 2nd Armenia Challenger W5. She then made the last eight at both the TRAC Oil & Gas North of Scotland Open and the Chamberlain Squash Open in 2018.

Merlo reached her first final later that year, at the Internazionali D’Italia, but lost out to Scotland’s Lisa Aitken. That was sandwiched with good performances at both the 2nd PwC Open and CSC Delaware Open, before the Swiss star made the last eight at the Cronimet Swedish Open, in her first appearance of 2019.

She then made it to the final of the Pakistan International Women’s Squash Tournament, before three more last eight results in the rest of the calendar year, coming at the Growthpoint S.A. Open, Nash Cup and the Serena Huawei Pakistan International Squash Tournament.

Following the resumption of the Tour after it’s six-month suspension due to COVID-19, Merlo made the last four of the Liechtenstein Open, before making the final of the Sihltal Classic, but she lost out to compatriot Ambre Allinckx in the final.

She did not have to wait long to take her maiden title on Tour though, as she claimed victory on home soil at the Swiss Open, defeating France’s Enora Villard in the final. That was followed with a quarter final appearance at the Open des Bretzels.

Later in the year, Merlo broke into the second round of a major tournament for the first time, defeating Egypt’s Mayar Hany to make the last 32 of the CIB Egyptian Open. That was followed with her second victory of the year, winning the Uster Cup to end her 2021 campaign.

Merlo claimed another win early on in 2022, as she lifted the title at the Sekisui Open in Finland, and later in the year, she reached the last 16 of the Open de France de Squash and the Grasshopper Cup, the latter being on home soil in Switzerland.