jcgatennismom
Hall of Fame
Is this a new trend? College tennis has had its one year freshmen wonders-Rubin and recently a few former ATP 500s as one year seniors (e.g Geerts of Arizona State who had 4 years of ATP points, a career high of 435 and $33k in earnings before joining ASU). This year there are a couple guys who played for a university, tried the pro tour or other activities, and now are back for one last year of eligibility. Below are 2 of these-are there more? Just curious.
Sam Matheson- started out at Middle Tenn (redshirt?), transferred to Liberty where he played two seasons, earned a top 100 ITA ranking, and was named Big South Player of Year in 2016. After leaving to play pro tourneys in Asia for a year (reached about ATP 1500), he is back for his senior year of eligibility. This addition is a win win for both player and university. Sam gets a new coach-Derek Schwandt, former GT assistant and USTA Collegiate Coach, so Sam will get great coaching to help him if he returns to tour, and Liberty gets back the highest ranked player they ever had.
Linus Erhart- Austrian who played for Nebraska in 2014/15, left for 2 years (no record of pro activity-may have played club), and now is a sr back on the Huskers team.
Will players now be taking gap years after their freshmen and/or soph years? Will there be a revolving door between Circuit and college-not just for the fall but for entire years? Go to college for some training, try the tour, realize you need more training, come back for one last year? Or play 3-4 years pro tennis after HS and play a year of college at 22 e.g. Geerts? What are the current rules? Too bad US player Jordan Cox who had similar specs as Geerts (career high of 449, $35K in earnings) had to play NAIA but the rules must have changed in the last 3 years.
Sam Matheson- started out at Middle Tenn (redshirt?), transferred to Liberty where he played two seasons, earned a top 100 ITA ranking, and was named Big South Player of Year in 2016. After leaving to play pro tourneys in Asia for a year (reached about ATP 1500), he is back for his senior year of eligibility. This addition is a win win for both player and university. Sam gets a new coach-Derek Schwandt, former GT assistant and USTA Collegiate Coach, so Sam will get great coaching to help him if he returns to tour, and Liberty gets back the highest ranked player they ever had.
Linus Erhart- Austrian who played for Nebraska in 2014/15, left for 2 years (no record of pro activity-may have played club), and now is a sr back on the Huskers team.
Will players now be taking gap years after their freshmen and/or soph years? Will there be a revolving door between Circuit and college-not just for the fall but for entire years? Go to college for some training, try the tour, realize you need more training, come back for one last year? Or play 3-4 years pro tennis after HS and play a year of college at 22 e.g. Geerts? What are the current rules? Too bad US player Jordan Cox who had similar specs as Geerts (career high of 449, $35K in earnings) had to play NAIA but the rules must have changed in the last 3 years.
