From Russia, with love: Tennis star flourishes on court, in class

When Olga Shkundina set foot on campus as a freshman, she could barely speak English. And she was only 15.

She did have a lot going for her, including stellar grades from her schools in Russia. She also had a ferocious forehand that had lifted her toward the top of the Russian juniors circuit.

"In Russia, there are two major sports: Tennis and hockey," said Shkundina, who first picked up a racket at age 4. "My parents pushed me and my siblings toward tennis because there were courts near our house."

VIDEO: From Russia, with love

By age 8, she was winning tournaments. Soon she was traveling across Russian time zones, collecting cups and trophies.

Four years later, Shkundina's play caught the eye of UA head coach Brandon Padgett, who was then coaching at Kennesaw State outside of Atlanta. Shkundina was visiting her older sister, the star of the Kennesaw team.

"I saw Olga hit with her sister," Padgett said. "I could tell then that she was going to be something special."

When Padgett was hired by Akron, he encouraged her to apply here.

Rare are the times that Akron's climate works in our favor, but here it did. Shkundina prefers our cooler temps to Georgia's heat, and the clouds protect her fair skin.

Adjusting to college and country

Akron and America proved to be a big adjustment.

"When I first arrived here, I was afraid to say hi because of my accent, but my coaches and my teammates helped me a lot. I can't imagine what I would have done without them," she said. "I've had a great experience."

She fit right in on the team, which has a strong international flavor. The team includes two Russians, two Americans and one player each from Latvia, Germany, Belarus, England and Argentina.

"Our diversity provides a great atmosphere to compete in and to grow individually," Padgett said.

Olga Shkundina with Akron head tennis coach Brandon Padgett

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At UA, Shkundina has flourished on court and in class.

"It amazes me that she arrives here at age 15 in a different country with a different language and plays Division I athletics and lands on the dean's list regularly," Padgett said. "And on top of all that, she's even a better person and teammate."

On the court, her solid groundstrokes and mental toughness stand out.

"I'm so impressed by her demeanor on the court," Padgett said. "She never gets flustered. Her personality does not change, whether she is winning or losing. She can forget about a bad point and play on, which is what you need to do to be a top player in this sport."

She was on track to be UA's all-time leader in wins until nagging injuries slowed her.

Now she is 18 and only eight months from earning a bachelor's degree in sport management. This summer she will marry. Then she wants to work in a tennis club, teaching the sport she loves to children here in the United States.

Padgett, meanwhile, is looking forward to the new tennis season, but with a twinge of regret for what will come at the end.

"It's going to be difficult to lose her as a player and as a person," he said. "She is possibly the sweetest person I have ever met."

Media contact: Denise Henry, 330-972-6477 or henryd@uakron.edu.