Hovde, Kimchi Earn NCAA Championship Invites

Thursday, November 6

Chapel Hill, N.C.

Duke University

ITA Sectional Championship

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Hovde, Kimchi Earn NCAA Championship Invites

11/9/2025 7:22:00 PM | Women's Tennis

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Duke women's tennis sophomore Liv Hovde along with the doubles duo of Hovde and junior Shavit Kimchi earned NCAA Singles and Doubles Championship invitations over the weekend as the Blue Devils closed action in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Sectionals at the Chewning Tennis Center in Chapel Hill.

A native of Daniel Island, S.C., Hovde opened the tournament with a 6-4, 7-5 win over Marshall's Johanna Strom and then advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-2, 6-3 victory against Brianna Baldi of Penn State. Hovde dropped a 6-7 (4-7), 0-6 decision to 88th-ranked Lavinia Tanasie of NC State, before collecting a 6-4, 6-2 playoff victory against Virginia's Martina Genis Salas to earn the singles invitation.

Duke's doubles tandem of Hovde and Kimchi won all three of their matches en route to receiving the NCAA doubles invitation. Hovde/Kimchi opened action by defeating Penn State's Olivia Dorner and Maiko Uchijima, 6-3, 7-6 (7-3) in the round of 16. The Blue Devils then posted a 4-6, 6-0, 10-6 win versus 73rd-ranked Mia Slama and Lavina Tanasie.

In the doubles semifinals, Hovde and Kimchi collected a 6-3, 6-2 win against Ema Kovacevic and Emma Ghirardato of Maryland to earn the doubles invite.

Junior Eleana Yu won a pair of singles matches and had a chance to receive an NCAA singles invitation, but dropped a 3-6, 0-6 decision to Ria Bhakta of Clemson in the playoffs.

Kimchi opened singles play with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Uchijima of Penn State, but had her run end against 74th-ranked Gabriella Broadfoot, 2-6, 1-6. Duke's doubles duo of Yu and freshman Claire An suffered a tough defeat in the round of 16, 6-2, 4-6, 7-10 to Syracuse's Anastasia Sysoeva and Nelly Knezkova.

Hovde and Kimchi join sophomore Irina Balus as Blue Devils that will compete in the NCAA Singles & Doubles Championship Nov. 18-23 at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Florida.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's tennis, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWTEN".

#GoDuke

ITA Sectionals
November 6-9, 2025
Chapel Hill, N.C.

Singles – Round of 32
Thursday, Nov. 6
#42 Liv Hovde (Duke) def. Johanna Strom (Marshall) 6-4, 7-5
#61 Shavit Kimchi (Duke) def. Maiko Uchijima (Penn State) 6-3, 6-2
#76 Eleana Yu (Duke) def. #24 Kaitlyn Carnicella (South Carolina) 6-3, 7-5

Doubles – Round of 16
Liv Hovde/Shavit Kimchi (Duke) def. Olivia Dorner/Maiko Uchijima (Penn State) 6-3, 7-6 (7-3)
Anastasia Sysoeva/Nelly Knezkova (Syracuse) def. Claire An/Eleana Yu (Duke) 2-6, 6-4, 10-7

Singles – Round of 16
Friday, Nov. 7
#42 Liv Hovde (Duke) def. Brianna Baldi (Penn State) 6-2, 6-3
#74 Gabriella Broadfoot (NC State) def. #61 Shavit Kimchi (Duke) 6-2, 6-1
#76 Eleana Yu (Duke) def. Alanis Hamilton (North Carolina) 6-4, 1-6, 6-3

Doubles – Quarterfinals
Liv Hovde/Shavit Kimchi (Duke) def. #73 Mia Slama/Lavinia Tanasie (NC State) 4-6, 6-0, 10-6

Singles – Quarterfinals
Saturday, Nov. 8
#88 Lavinia Tanasie (NC State) def. #42 Liv Hovde (Duke) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0
#72 Mia Slama (NC State) def. #76 Eleana Yu (Duke) 6-2, 6-2

Doubles – Semifinals
Liv Hovde/Shavit Kimchi (Duke) def. Ema Kovacevic/Emma Ghirardato (Maryland) 6-3, 6-2

Singles - Playoff Semifinals
Sunday, Nov. 9
#42 Liv Hovde (Duke) def. Martina Genis Salas (Virginia) 6-4, 6-2
Ria Bhakta (Clemson) def. #76 Eleana Yu (Duke) 6-3, 6-0