Cruz Hewitt Earns First ATP Win at Washington Open

Cruz Hewitt Secures Maiden ATP Victory at Washington Open

The milestone win follows a run to the Wimbledon boys’ final and marks a significant leap in the teenager’s professional career. By advancing to the second round, Hewitt is guaranteed to pocket just under $52,000 and is projected to surge in the ATP live rankings from outside the top 600 into the mid-360s. He also became the fourth man born in 2008 or later to win a tour-level match and the youngest Washington match-winner since Kei Nishikori in 2007.

Family Advice and Iconic Celebration on Center Court

Before taking the court, Hewitt warmed up with his father, who won the 2004 Washington crown and captured 30 career ATP titles. Lleyton Hewitt gave his son straightforward advice before the match. He told me mainly to enjoy it, because it was my first tour-level match … and to take every point one-by-one, to enjoy the atmosphere and to enjoy the crowd and that is what I did, Cruz Hewitt said.

After clinching the match, Hewitt celebrated by replicating his father’s trademark “C’mon!” scream and hand gesture, holding up his bent right arm with his hand curled back. Hewitt noted that he grew up watching his father perform the gesture and called it cool to finally use it himself, acknowledging that his father has been a massive influence on his tennis journey. During his earlier qualifying matches, Hewitt even saw his father’s name inscribed on the ring of champions at center court, describing the experience as surreal and inspirational.

Unusual Path Through Qualifying and Ranking Surge

Hewitt earned his spot in the main draw through an unconventional qualifying run at the ATP 500 event, benefiting from two consecutive retirements after leading both matches. Against Dušan Lajović, the Australian was up 5-2 in the first set when the Serb retired injured. He then faced top qualifying seed Zachary Svajda, dropping the first set 6-1 and falling behind before fighting back to win a second-set tie-break. Svajda retired due to physical problems while trailing 2-0 in the final set, sending Hewitt through to the main draw.

Reflecting on his progression, Hewitt emphasized his desire to forge his own path while drawing on his father’s experience. I try to deal with it as best as I can, Hewitt said regarding the pressure of carrying his family’s name. There is obviously a little bit of pressure, but I try to take the positives out of it as well, and I am happy with how I am dealing with it so far.

Next Round Matchups and Tournament Context

For his next challenge, Hewitt will face the winner of a match between top-seeded defending champion Alex de Minaur and former world number three Stefanos Tsitsipas. De Minaur, a compatriot whom Hewitt describes as an older brother and hitting partner, arrived in the American capital following a wedding in Tuscany and a subsequent honeymoon in Portofino.

The tournament schedule faced delays due to rain, pushing several encounters to Wednesday local time. Other notable matches in the United States capital included Adrian Mannarino defeating Learner Tien 7-5, 6-4, and Rafael Jodar eliminating eighth seed Arthur Fils 7-6 (7/5), 6-3.