University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Announce Addition Of Orel Kimhi
May 29, 2026 | Men's Tennis
Orel Kimhi, last year's number-three player for Oklahoma's NCAA Tournament squad and the No. 79-ranked player by ITA, has officially signed for the 2026-27 season, Vol Tennis Head Coach Chris Woodruff announced on Friday. Â
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The Israel native, who went 15-9 overall in singles last season, joins the Big Orange with one season of eligibility remaining. He is the second Sooner to become a Volunteer in the 2026-27 signing class.
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Kimhi's first two seasons in the SEC have gone well, as he tallied a 12-7 record in conference singles play. Four of the 12 triumphs were against ranked opponents, including a huge victory last year against Texas's Sebastian Eriksson, who was ranked No. 37 at the time.
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"We are so fortunate to have Orel joining our program," Associate Head Coach Matt Lucas said. "He brings toughness and consistency as well as SEC and professional experience.
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"Orel is one of the toughest outs in college tennis, and that fits perfectly with our culture. He has won so many big matches, as we have seen in the past two years in our league. Our coaching staff is excited to help continue to develop his game while watching him help the Vols win big matches and titles."
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The 5-foot-10 righty boasts a lengthy resume, recording a UTR of 13.57 with an ATP singles career-high ranking of 438 in 2024. He has held a spot in the ITA national rankings since March 17, 2026, peaking at No. 66 along the way.
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Kimhi joins Oscar Lacides (Oklahoma) and Alan Bojarski (Auburn) as those in UT's 2026 portal class who have officially signed. The Vols also will welcome the freshman trio of Adrien Abarca, Martin Doskocil and Daniel Jovanovski.
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The Israel native, who went 15-9 overall in singles last season, joins the Big Orange with one season of eligibility remaining. He is the second Sooner to become a Volunteer in the 2026-27 signing class.
Â
Kimhi's first two seasons in the SEC have gone well, as he tallied a 12-7 record in conference singles play. Four of the 12 triumphs were against ranked opponents, including a huge victory last year against Texas's Sebastian Eriksson, who was ranked No. 37 at the time.
Â
"We are so fortunate to have Orel joining our program," Associate Head Coach Matt Lucas said. "He brings toughness and consistency as well as SEC and professional experience.
Â
"Orel is one of the toughest outs in college tennis, and that fits perfectly with our culture. He has won so many big matches, as we have seen in the past two years in our league. Our coaching staff is excited to help continue to develop his game while watching him help the Vols win big matches and titles."
Â
The 5-foot-10 righty boasts a lengthy resume, recording a UTR of 13.57 with an ATP singles career-high ranking of 438 in 2024. He has held a spot in the ITA national rankings since March 17, 2026, peaking at No. 66 along the way.
Â
Kimhi joins Oscar Lacides (Oklahoma) and Alan Bojarski (Auburn) as those in UT's 2026 portal class who have officially signed. The Vols also will welcome the freshman trio of Adrien Abarca, Martin Doskocil and Daniel Jovanovski.
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