Durham, N.C. -- Recently, GoDuke.com sat down with senior Ester Goldfeld to discuss her time at Duke.
GoDuke.com: Where has been your favorite place to compete with Duke women's tennis?
Ester Goldfeld: I love competing at home, but I think the next best place has probably been Virginia. We've had success there most years, and I think most of us are pretty comfortable playing on those courts. It's usually a pretty great atmosphere.
GoDuke.com: What's a road trip memory that you think you'll take with you, even after your time here at Duke comes to an end?
EG: I don't think it's just one particular road trip, but every road trip, we always have to stop to go to the bathroom every 15 or 20 minutes. I'll definitely never forget that.
GoDuke.com: What does it mean to you to play for Duke University?
EG: Representing Duke is such a big honor. Everybody knows about Duke and what Duke stands for, including the standards that are set for everyone that goes here. Just being able to play for Duke is such a big honor.
GoDuke.com: What's one lesson that the game of tennis has taught you?
EG: This might sound a little cliché, but for me, it's to never give up and never stop fighting. There have been so many matches where I've been down or it's been so close and I've just fought my way through them and believed in myself. I definitely think that's something that I can take with me for when I'm done with tennis and I start my professional career, especially going into medicine. It's going to be a long, tough road.
GoDuke.com: What has been your proudest academic achievement at Duke?
EG: I don't think there's a specific class, but I've had some pretty tough semesters, and I think getting ACC Honor Roll has been really great during those semesters.
GoDuke.com: What will you miss most, once your time at Duke is done?
EG: I'm a very competitive person, so I'm definitely going to miss the competition. I know that I'll still get competition off the court in med school, but on the court, it's completely different. That's something I'll never be able to replace.
GoDuke.com: What's your pre-match routine?
EG: There's probably not a specific routine that I personally have. I just try to stay calm and relaxed before the match. I usually get pretty nervous, so talking with my teammates or joking around is usually what I do. When we go to Washington Duke for home matches for breakfast, I usually stick to getting an omelet and yogurt.
