AAP Tennis

Cruz Hewitt falls in Australian Open boys' first round

By AAP Newswire

Jan 21, 2024

Cruz Hewitt (left) and American Alexander Razeghi. — Cruz Hewitt (left) lost in the first round of the Open boys' singles to American Alexander Razeghi. -AAP Image

Cruz Hewitt hasn't quite made the same grand entrance to tennis as his former world No.1 father, crashing out in the first round of the Australian Open boys' singles.

Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content

Twenty-seven years after Hewitt famously became the youngest qualifier to make the Open main draw at just 15, Cruz suffered a 6-2 6-3 loss to American Alexander Razeghi at the same age.

Sporting a backwards cap and a two-handed backhand strikingly similar to his former world No.1 old man, Cruz looked a dead ringer for Hewitt on Show Court 3 at Melbourne Park on Sunday.

Lleyton Hewitt (centre) watches his son Cruz Hewitt during his first-round boys' singles match.

Despite the defeat, Lleyton Hewitt said he was "unbelievably proud" about Cruz's Open appearance.

"He's still very young. This is all a learning experience," Hewitt told Channel Nine.

"They asked me late last night if I would go out and warm him up this morning on Show Court 3. Just a really special moment.

"My first-ever main draw match at the Australian Open was actually out on Show Court 3 as well.

"Just some great memories coming back of me playing here. He's been around the traps, but he's worked extremely hard to get this opportunity. He is playing well."