Lleyton Hewitt's son, Cruz Hewitt, has made a significant breakthrough in his burgeoning tennis career, securing his first ATP Tour-level win at the Washington Open at just 17 years old.
Key Points
- Cruz Hewitt, 17, secured his first ATP Tour-level victory at the Washington Open, defeating Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4.
- This win follows his runner-up finish in the Wimbledon boys' final, marking a significant breakout summer for the Australian youngster.
- Hewitt is a qualifier at the ATP 500 tournament, an event his father Lleyton Hewitt won in 2004.
- He became the youngest player to win a match at the Washington Open since Kei Nishikori in 2007.
Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt's son Cruz continued to impress in his breakout summer on Tuesday, earning his first ATP Tour-level win at the Washington Open at the age of 17 with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Marcos Giron.
A Remarkable Summer For The Young Australian
The first-round victory capped a remarkable month for the Australian youngster, who finished runner-up to American Jordan Lee in the Wimbledon boys' final nearly a quarter of a century after his father triumphed on the famous lawns of London.
Cruz, ranked 612 in the world, is a qualifier at the ATP 500 tournament in Washington, where his father won the 2004 title.
"It's pretty surreal to win here," Cruz said.
"Obviously I saw my dad play here. I came to his last tournament I remember. There are so many memories of that. To make it to round two, it's very special."
Following In Father's Footsteps
Victory ensured Cruz became the youngest player to win a match in the event since Kei Nishikori in 2007 and he said his father's advice proved useful.
"It was my first tour main draw match, so (he told me) just to enjoy it and take every point one-by-one, really enjoy the atmosphere and the crowd," Cruz said.
"I tried to do as best as I could. I just see there's a little pressure, but I try and take the positive and come with it as well. I'm happy with how I'm dealing with it so far."
After becoming the fourth man born in 2008 or later to earn a tour-level victory, following Diego Dedura, Thijs Boogaard and Moise Kouame, Cruz faces either Stefanos Tsitsipas or fellow Australian Alex de Minaur.
"Obviously if I play Alex, that would be a dream to share the court with him," Cruz said.
"He's like my older brother. I've known him basically my whole life. He's stayed with us and we have Christmas together, also. He's taught me so much, I think that would be a pretty cool memory for us."
