Cruz Hewitt wins on Wimbledon juniors debut as father Lleyton watches

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Australian teenager Cruz Hewitt made a memorable start to his Wimbledon juniors campaign, claiming victory on his debut 23 years after his father Lleyton Hewitt lifted the men’s singles title.

The 16-year-old defeated Russia’s Savva Rybkin in straight sets, 6-1 6-2, during their first-round clash in the boys’ competition.

Wearing a trademark back-to-front cap, a style synonymous with his father’s playing days, Cruz displayed composure and aggressive baseline play to seal an emphatic win.

A family legacy at Wimbledon

Lleyton Hewitt, who famously won Wimbledon in 2002 by beating David Nalbandian, was courtside at SW19 to support his son’s debut. The former world number one also captured the US Open in 2001 and reached the Australian Open final in 2005.

Cruz has already begun making strides in the senior game, receiving a wildcard into qualifying for the 2025 Australian Open, where he fell in the opening round. However, he advanced to the second round of the juniors competition in Melbourne earlier this year.

At Wimbledon, Cruz is also competing in the boys’ doubles alongside Britain’s Mark Ceban and will next face Finnish 11th seed Oskari Paldanius in the singles second round.

The next Hewitt generation rising?

The teenager’s performance has drawn comparisons to his father’s early career, with Australian fans hopeful of another Hewitt making waves on the world stage.

With Lleyton offering advice from the sidelines, Cruz’s Wimbledon journey is already capturing the attention of tennis fans around the globe.

Lleyton Hewitt (right) is the last Australian man to win a Grand Slam singles title