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…
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