Bio
Paul BARBIER GAZEU
- Height 6-0
- Hometown Montpellier
Paul Barbier Gazeu : French Tennis Player at the University of South Carolina
Paul Barbier Gazeu is a promising French tennis player competing at the NCAA Division I level with the University of South Carolina, a competitive program in the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Originally from Montpellier, France, he made an immediate impact in his first season of collegiate competition, combining French tennis fundamentals with the intensity of elite American collegiate tennis.
Career Path
Paul developed through the French tennis system, where he built a strong technical foundation and competitive discipline from a young age. He gained valuable experience competing internationally, including on the professional ITF circuit, before making the move to the United States to combine academics with elite tennis competition at South Carolina.
A Standout Redshirt Freshman Season (2025–26)
After a redshirt year in 2024–25, Paul made an outstanding collegiate debut in 2025–26, quickly becoming one of the most productive players on the Gamecocks’ roster :
- Led the team in singles wins with a 25–10 overall record, playing primarily from the second and third positions
- Posted a 15–6 dual-match record, including 7–3 at the No. 2 spot and 8–3 at the No. 3 spot
- Defeated five ranked opponents in singles, highlighted by a straight-sets win over the nation’s No. 15
- Put together a seven-match win streak during the fall season
- Won the singles title in the A2 draw at the Wake Forest Invitational
- Qualified for the NCAA Individual Championships as South Carolina’s lone singles representative
- Reached a career-high singles ranking of No. 55 nationally
In doubles, paired primarily with Lucas da Silva, he was equally impactful :
- Compiled a 21–8 overall doubles record, including a 12–4 dual-match mark
- Strung together an eight-match win streak with da Silva, picking up four ranked wins along the way
- Reached a career-high doubles ranking of No. 6 nationally
Individual Recognition
His breakout season earned him a wave of individual honors :
- Two-time SEC Freshman of the Week (January 11 and February 21, 2026)
- All-SEC Second Team
- SEC All-Freshman Team
- 2026 ITA All-American (doubles)
- Gamecock Gala Male Freshman of the Year
A Rising Talent in the SEC
Competing in one of the toughest conferences in NCAA tennis, Paul Barbier Gazeu has quickly proven himself capable of performing at the highest collegiate level in both singles and doubles. His combination of a strong ITF background and an All-American-caliber freshman campaign positions him as one of the standout French players developing within the American college tennis system, with real potential to continue toward the professional ranks.