Completed Event: Women's Tennis at #1 Auburn on May 8, 2026 , Loss , 2, to, 4
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Women's Tennis
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at #1 Auburn
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Photo by: Duke Athletics
Shavit Kimchi’s Path to Durham: A Journey of Dedication and Determination
4/26/2024 8:08:00 AM | Women's Tennis
By Charlotte Tannenbaum, Duke Athletics Communications Student Assistant
DURHAM – In the world of collegiate sports, tales of triumph often emerge from unconventional paths. The story of Shavit Kimchi, one of Duke's standout tennis players, is no exception. As the 22-year-old navigates her freshman season with the Blue Devils, her journey from Israel to the courts of Durham serves as a testament to her resilience, adaptability and love for the game.
Tennis has been a cornerstone of Kimchi's life since childhood. As the 2022 Israel National Champion and a seasoned competitor on the international tennis circuit, she arrived at Duke with plenty of experience and a hunger for success. But her road to Durham was anything but ordinary: before donning Duke blue, Kimchi did two-and-a-half years of military service.
For a competitor like Kimchi, taking a temporary pause on tennis to fulfill her service requirement was an adjustment. Her deployment began with two months spent in boot camp, during which time Kimchi was not able to practice. After years of playing at such a high level, this period was a rare chance to experience a life not dominated by tennis and cultivate connections outside of the sport.
"I met so many friends. We had a great group of girls," says Kimchi. "It was hard, but it was fun, because we were all struggling together but supporting each other."
Already an elite athlete, Kimchi was well prepared for the army's physicality. In fact, she found boot camp to be a refreshing respite from her demanding training regimen.
"I'm used to working hard," says Kimchi. "For me, it was just so much easier. I used to practice six hours a day!"
Her training had equipped her with more than just physical toughness. It also instilled in her the resilience and teamwork that the army demands.
"I know how to support my teammates," said Kimchi. In the hard moments, she made an effort to stay positive and bring up those around her. "I always try to make the people around me feel better and make them laugh."
Following boot camp, she took an office job dealing with sexual harassment cases within the army. She balanced the important work with her training.
"I represented Israel on the national team, so the army gave me a special athlete status, which meant that I could still play tennis," Kimchi said.
In 2023, Kimchi finished her military career as a Women's Affairs Advisor to the Chief of Staff and accepted a new title: Blue Devil.
College wasn't always a part of Kimchi's plan. Despite receiving attention from coaches in the U.S. before her deployment, the prospect of a two-and-a-half-year hiatus made college feel too distant to take seriously. Things changed for the player when the Israeli government began scaling back their financial support for tennis. Between the coaching, the travel, and the tournaments, the sport's significant financial burden became difficult to maintain. For Kimchi, joining a college team looked like the perfect solution.
Though it was a pragmatic solution, it was also a daunting change for Kimchi. Coming to Duke meant adjusting to a new environment with an unfamiliar culture and a language that she had picked up mainly on her own through traveling.
She recalls her doubts about being able to make the change: "Coming all the way here, making this transition, getting into school after three years, and doing it in a foreign language?"
The student-athlete's apprehension is certainly reasonable. But the support and encouragement of her parents helped her take that leap of faith.
"They were like, 'Shavit, just do your best. Just try it. Just go, and see if you like it,'" said Kimchi. "And I love it. I love being here. I feel like I'm learning new stuff every day."
During a recent visit, Kimchi had the opportunity to show her mom firsthand how seamlessly she has settled into life in Durham.
"She met all of my friends and saw how hard I am working on and off the court," said Kimchi. "I feel so lucky that even through those tough times back home, she was able to come all the way here."
Her transition has been made easier by people who encourage her growth off and on the court. She credits her coaches for their constant support and guidance in honing her skills and adjustment to the collegiate tennis scene.
"She loves the team, she's vocal, she's everything that we could have asked for out of a freshman coming in," said Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth.
Kimchi has made an immediate impact on the court for the Blue Devils collecting 17 singles wins and 13 doubles victories playing at the No. 1 or No. 2 positions. She has earned five ACC Freshman of the Week honors, which ranks as the second-most in Duke history for a rookie. Kimchi has also clinched a team-best seven matches for the Blue Devils on the year. She has been ranked as high as No. 58 nationally on the year in singles as well.
"The coaches help a lot. They're always there for you," says Kimchi. "After every game, you get the video of the game and talk about it with the coaches and think, what did I do well? What did I do wrong? How can we make things better?"
Despite her love for the Duke environment, outside factors cast a shadow on her first semester. Kimchi was only three months into her first year when the events of October 7 unfolded. The turmoil in her homeland made it difficult for her to think about anything else.
"The first two weeks were hard because I felt like I couldn't focus mentally," said Kimchi. "I wasn't sleeping that well because I was up all night watching the news, trying to talk to my friends and find out what was going on with my family."
Though it was an unquestionably difficult time for Kimchi, she was lifted up by the individuals and communities that supported her.
"There's so many people on campus that reached out to me and asked how I am doing, and if I needed any help," said Kimchi. "I'm very thankful for this community."
In particular, Duke's Jewish life has been a source of comfort for Kimchi. From attending Friday night Shabbat dinners to fundraising for ambulances following October 7, she has discovered an uplifting community to stand by her through the good times and the challenging ones. This special bond was established immediately and has remained steadfast throughout her time at Duke.
"When my family came here to help me move in, Jewish life at Duke hosted a Shabbat dinner. I met a lot of people there," Kimchi recalls. "Now, they're my closest friends."
All you have to do is attend a women's tennis match to see for yourself the love and support that Kimchi has found at Duke.
"It's so fun when I'm playing there, and I look up, and I see all of my friends. I know they're 100% supporting me, and they want me to win," said Kimchi. "Some are even shouting in Hebrew!"
Kimchi has also found companionship in her teammates and fellow student-athletes.
"We share the same life and the same routine, so we all get each other," Kimchi says.
In her remaining three years at Duke, Kimchi is determined to make the most of her time in Durham and contribute to her team's success.
"I want to be able to perform my best and get this team to be the best that we could be," said Kimchi. "It's such a great group of people, so if we'll be able to push each other and perform well, we can actually get some great results this year."
So far, Kimchi has had an impressive performance in her debut season. The rookie has already been named ACC Freshman of the Week on four separate occasions. There's no doubt she will continue her strong performance for the Blue Devils throughout her tenure in Durham. As for her plans after Duke, Kimchi wants to keep her options open.
"I'm going to give my best when it comes to both academics and tennis," said Kimchi. "Then, when I have the chance to decide, I'll just go with my gut feeling."
As she continues to forge her path at Duke, Blue Devil fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter of her remarkable story. With her undeniable talent, unwavering determination and unbelievable resilience, one thing's for certain: Kimchi is an unstoppable force who will excel in any endeavor she pursues.
Kimchi and the Blue Devils await the NCAA Tournament selection show to see where Duke will play in the first round. The show will take place on Monday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m., live on NCAA.com.
#GoDuke
DURHAM – In the world of collegiate sports, tales of triumph often emerge from unconventional paths. The story of Shavit Kimchi, one of Duke's standout tennis players, is no exception. As the 22-year-old navigates her freshman season with the Blue Devils, her journey from Israel to the courts of Durham serves as a testament to her resilience, adaptability and love for the game.
Tennis has been a cornerstone of Kimchi's life since childhood. As the 2022 Israel National Champion and a seasoned competitor on the international tennis circuit, she arrived at Duke with plenty of experience and a hunger for success. But her road to Durham was anything but ordinary: before donning Duke blue, Kimchi did two-and-a-half years of military service.
For a competitor like Kimchi, taking a temporary pause on tennis to fulfill her service requirement was an adjustment. Her deployment began with two months spent in boot camp, during which time Kimchi was not able to practice. After years of playing at such a high level, this period was a rare chance to experience a life not dominated by tennis and cultivate connections outside of the sport.
"I met so many friends. We had a great group of girls," says Kimchi. "It was hard, but it was fun, because we were all struggling together but supporting each other."
Already an elite athlete, Kimchi was well prepared for the army's physicality. In fact, she found boot camp to be a refreshing respite from her demanding training regimen.
"I'm used to working hard," says Kimchi. "For me, it was just so much easier. I used to practice six hours a day!"
Her training had equipped her with more than just physical toughness. It also instilled in her the resilience and teamwork that the army demands.
"I know how to support my teammates," said Kimchi. In the hard moments, she made an effort to stay positive and bring up those around her. "I always try to make the people around me feel better and make them laugh."
Following boot camp, she took an office job dealing with sexual harassment cases within the army. She balanced the important work with her training.
"I represented Israel on the national team, so the army gave me a special athlete status, which meant that I could still play tennis," Kimchi said.
In 2023, Kimchi finished her military career as a Women's Affairs Advisor to the Chief of Staff and accepted a new title: Blue Devil.
College wasn't always a part of Kimchi's plan. Despite receiving attention from coaches in the U.S. before her deployment, the prospect of a two-and-a-half-year hiatus made college feel too distant to take seriously. Things changed for the player when the Israeli government began scaling back their financial support for tennis. Between the coaching, the travel, and the tournaments, the sport's significant financial burden became difficult to maintain. For Kimchi, joining a college team looked like the perfect solution.
Shavit sat down with JB Ricks from Spectrum News this spring for an in depth feature on her tennis journey! Go check it out now
— Duke Women's Tennis (@DukeWTEN) April 22, 2024
?? https://t.co/3JMOd84NQT#GoDuke
Though it was a pragmatic solution, it was also a daunting change for Kimchi. Coming to Duke meant adjusting to a new environment with an unfamiliar culture and a language that she had picked up mainly on her own through traveling.
She recalls her doubts about being able to make the change: "Coming all the way here, making this transition, getting into school after three years, and doing it in a foreign language?"
The student-athlete's apprehension is certainly reasonable. But the support and encouragement of her parents helped her take that leap of faith.
"They were like, 'Shavit, just do your best. Just try it. Just go, and see if you like it,'" said Kimchi. "And I love it. I love being here. I feel like I'm learning new stuff every day."
During a recent visit, Kimchi had the opportunity to show her mom firsthand how seamlessly she has settled into life in Durham.
"She met all of my friends and saw how hard I am working on and off the court," said Kimchi. "I feel so lucky that even through those tough times back home, she was able to come all the way here."
Her transition has been made easier by people who encourage her growth off and on the court. She credits her coaches for their constant support and guidance in honing her skills and adjustment to the collegiate tennis scene.
"She loves the team, she's vocal, she's everything that we could have asked for out of a freshman coming in," said Duke head coach Jamie Ashworth.
Kimchi has made an immediate impact on the court for the Blue Devils collecting 17 singles wins and 13 doubles victories playing at the No. 1 or No. 2 positions. She has earned five ACC Freshman of the Week honors, which ranks as the second-most in Duke history for a rookie. Kimchi has also clinched a team-best seven matches for the Blue Devils on the year. She has been ranked as high as No. 58 nationally on the year in singles as well.
"The coaches help a lot. They're always there for you," says Kimchi. "After every game, you get the video of the game and talk about it with the coaches and think, what did I do well? What did I do wrong? How can we make things better?"
Despite her love for the Duke environment, outside factors cast a shadow on her first semester. Kimchi was only three months into her first year when the events of October 7 unfolded. The turmoil in her homeland made it difficult for her to think about anything else.
"The first two weeks were hard because I felt like I couldn't focus mentally," said Kimchi. "I wasn't sleeping that well because I was up all night watching the news, trying to talk to my friends and find out what was going on with my family."
Though it was an unquestionably difficult time for Kimchi, she was lifted up by the individuals and communities that supported her.
"There's so many people on campus that reached out to me and asked how I am doing, and if I needed any help," said Kimchi. "I'm very thankful for this community."
In particular, Duke's Jewish life has been a source of comfort for Kimchi. From attending Friday night Shabbat dinners to fundraising for ambulances following October 7, she has discovered an uplifting community to stand by her through the good times and the challenging ones. This special bond was established immediately and has remained steadfast throughout her time at Duke.
"When my family came here to help me move in, Jewish life at Duke hosted a Shabbat dinner. I met a lot of people there," Kimchi recalls. "Now, they're my closest friends."
All you have to do is attend a women's tennis match to see for yourself the love and support that Kimchi has found at Duke.
"It's so fun when I'm playing there, and I look up, and I see all of my friends. I know they're 100% supporting me, and they want me to win," said Kimchi. "Some are even shouting in Hebrew!"
Kimchi has also found companionship in her teammates and fellow student-athletes.
"We share the same life and the same routine, so we all get each other," Kimchi says.
In her remaining three years at Duke, Kimchi is determined to make the most of her time in Durham and contribute to her team's success.
"I want to be able to perform my best and get this team to be the best that we could be," said Kimchi. "It's such a great group of people, so if we'll be able to push each other and perform well, we can actually get some great results this year."
So far, Kimchi has had an impressive performance in her debut season. The rookie has already been named ACC Freshman of the Week on four separate occasions. There's no doubt she will continue her strong performance for the Blue Devils throughout her tenure in Durham. As for her plans after Duke, Kimchi wants to keep her options open.
"I'm going to give my best when it comes to both academics and tennis," said Kimchi. "Then, when I have the chance to decide, I'll just go with my gut feeling."
As she continues to forge her path at Duke, Blue Devil fans eagerly anticipate the next chapter of her remarkable story. With her undeniable talent, unwavering determination and unbelievable resilience, one thing's for certain: Kimchi is an unstoppable force who will excel in any endeavor she pursues.
Kimchi and the Blue Devils await the NCAA Tournament selection show to see where Duke will play in the first round. The show will take place on Monday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m., live on NCAA.com.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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Monday, January 26
Monday, January 26
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