Coco Gauff and Andre Agassi’s former coach, Brad Gilbert, has questioned the NCAA eligibility rules after 23-year-old Italian pro Lorenzo Claverie committed to play for the University of Florida in 2026, according to reports. Gilbert’s concerns raise questions about the supposedly fair and equal rules for both American players and international ones.
Former player, coach, and tennis analyst Gilbert raised a concern online after reacting to Claverie’s announcement post to the University of Florida men’s tennis team. Claverie is currently 23 years old and has already played on the ITF Futures and Challengers circuits. He reportedly visited the campus and verbally committed to join the Gators in spring 2026. Florida Gators boast a rich resume, with the likes of Ben Shelton winning the NCAA championships.
Coco Gauff’s Former Coach Brad Gilbert Raises Question After Lorenzo Claverie Commits to Gators Men’s Tennis
Since Claverie already has ATP rankings and has played professionally, Gilbert is wondering why international players can compete in college while Americans reportedly face stricter rules if they turn pro and earn prize money.
Gilbert wrote on X, “How come this happens, 23-year-old freshman who was playing in futures, how long can he play for, also why doesn’t this rule apply to Americans to come back to college tennis then.”
Claverie has had a considerable career on the pro circuit so far. He has reached ATP career-high rankings of No. 643 in singles and No. 586 in doubles. He continues to play Futures and lower-tier ATP events while still keeping his college eligibility.
Before turning pro, Claverie was also a strong junior player with a career-high of No. 52 in the ITF Junior rankings. His current UTR is 12.57, which makes him one of the top recruits for the 2026 college season.
Even with his age and pro background, Claverie will join Florida as a freshman. That could give him up to four full years of NCAA eligibility, depending on how his status is reviewed, which is exactly what’s causing the current debate.
Claverie’s Situation Sparks Online Criticism
Many international players can delay college while competing professionally and still stay eligible, as long as they earn prize money within certain limits. American players, on the other hand, are reportedly judged more strictly if they make money or delay college, which causes many of them to lose eligibility or avoid returning to college tennis if their pro careers don’t take off.
As soon as Claverie’s announcement was posted, many netizens pointed out how unfair the situation seemed. One of the users wrote, “We need to chill. This can’t be the new norm,” while another netizen added, “It’s a slap in the face to the American juniors and parents who invest in their child’s tennis career. Why would someone who’s at an age of a post graduate be allowed to start a college career”
Another user wrote, “Brad – please bring light to this issue. The playing field is severely against US kids. The NCAA needs to level the playing field in one direction or the other. Foreign kids have a massive advantage. It’s flat out wrong.”
One user shared his own incident and wrote, “And I had to sit out for four matches my freshman year due to ‘playing tournament within the last 12 months’ before starting school. And I was 18 yo. Crazy times.”
Another user wrote, “Yet it is the new norm. There should be some organized effort to get the NCAA to enforce rules the same in the US and other countries.”
Gilbert’s main concern here is about fairness, as he argues that if international players can earn money and delay college while still staying eligible, American players should have the same option. His issue isn’t with Claverie but with the rules that decide who can play college tennis after competing professionally.
