Illinois’ mighty 2025 recruiting class blossomed further when it signed Frenchman Gabriel Debru on Tuesday. He is the younger brother of former Illinois star Mathis Debru and adds familial firepower to Illinois’ lineup.
A new home
Gabriel Debru will find a home in Champaign-Urbana, the place that helped his brother grow into a top-class player and leader. When asked about Mathis Debru’s importance ahead of Illinois’ senior night in April, head coach Brad Dancer reiterated the Frenchman’s role in the dressing room.
“Mathis has been with us for three years, but it’s one of those things where he’s been a phenomenal spirit for us,” Dancer said. “He’s led the charge in terms of being a huge part of our culture, work ethic and competitive spirit. We’re going to be forever grateful to Mathis for the imprint that he’s had on us.”
Already coming from great junior career highs, Gabriel Debru will have the opportunity to join an exciting team of young players, mentored by an impressive coaching staff. He agrees that a familiar environment played a role in him committing to Illinois.
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“I chose to join Illinois because I love the way the coaches train the players and the mentality the team has,” Gabriel Debru said to Illinois Athletics. “After my brother spent three years there, I believe it’s going to help me grow a lot — both as a person and as a player. I am really looking forward to becoming part of the Illinois men’s tennis program.”
Collegiate tennis beast
The Grenoble, France native is one of the top-ranked collegiate players ever. Gabriel Debru has won three ATP Challenger tour singles titles and three ITF tour singles titles each. His impressive singles record took him to a career-high ATP singles ranking of 233. He has also competed in three qualifying rounds at the French Open (also known as Roland-Garros).
Gabriel Debru has the potential to help the Illini with their 2024-25 doubles struggles. He has won three total doubles titles — one ATP Challenger title and two ITF titles. He has a career-high ATP doubles ranking of 273.
He made the transition to professional tennis in 2022, but has been bossing the tennis court for far longer. His junior tennis record speaks for itself. Gabriel Debru thrived at the prestigious 2022 Roland-Garros junior championship, winning the singles title. This helped him scale the heights of junior tennis, making him the top-ranked ITF junior player in the world. He then went on to finish as runner-up at the 2022 Wimbledon junior doubles bracket.
“We are excited to add Gabriel to the Fighting Illini,” Dancer said. “Having already been the top-ranked junior player in the world and found success at the Challenger level, Gabriel is a tremendous student and a highly accomplished tennis player, but what we feel sets him apart is his incredible passion. Our fans are going to fall in love with his spirit and zest for competing. We can’t wait to get started helping Gabriel on the path to becoming his best.”
The successor
Gabriel Debru is only 19, but he has already achieved so much. He joins an illustrious recruiting class, one that he can heavily contribute to in his collegiate career. He will have helpful advice from his elder brother that will help him navigate college tennis’ turbulent waves. He can be Mathis’s successor, taking his Illinois legacy forward.
The Illini fans have a lot to look forward to this season. The Atkins Tennis Center will see new faces and get to hear cheers for new names echoing through its rafters. Illinois made it to the first round of the NCAA tournament last season, so fans will be hoping the team brings further glory to Champaign-Urbana.
