Youth hasn’t been served just yet among the Australian tennis hierarchy, with defending DC Open men’s champion Alex de Minaur easily holding off Cruz Hewitt in a compatriot matchup that was more familial than combative.
“The lead-up, seeing all the photos, all the memories, thinking of all the time we spent together,” de Minaur said after his 6-2, 6-3 victory over the son of Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt. “I couldn’t help but ultimately be excited for it, right? I think that definitely helped me.”
His seventh-straight match win in Washington comes over someone — and a family — he’s known all his life.
“I just told [Cruz and Lleyton] that we didn’t expect to be playing each other this week, right? I thought that it was definitely going to come at some stage, but I didn’t expect it to happen so early,” de Minaur said. “I think all of us as a collective were kind of, like, didn’t really know how to kind of act, right? Because it’s the first time we’ve been in that position.”
After reaching the Wimbledon junior final earlier this month, the 17-year-old Hewitt received a qualifying wild card for D.C. He made his way through the weekend and earned his first ATP Tour win on Tuesday, setting up Thursday’s all-Aussie appreciation session.
“That was a very special match, special moment I think for both of us. I’ve looked up to him my whole life pretty much, seen him play so many times, practiced together,” Hewitt said. “He’s like my brother, so it was special to share the court.”
De Minaur recalled memories of staying with the Hewitt family at their home over the years, watching Cruz grow up and how he’s managed having a parent who’s a two-time Grand Slam champion and icon on their home continent.
“I’ve spent a lot of time with Cruz, and I think he’s always been a great kid. He’s loved tennis — and I can’t say this enough — the way he’s handling the spotlight, the pressure, the expectations of being who he is,” de Minaur said. “Even after a week like this one, right? There’s going to be even more pressure and expectation, but I think the whole world should let him develop at his own pace.”
Hewitt showed the talent that’s helped him on his rise. At the same time, he struggled to harness his power, missing the line on his forehands or sending the ball too deep. De Minaur won 11 of the first 13 points of the match, as well as the first seven on his serve, sprinting out to a 5-0 lead in the first set in barely 20 minutes.
“I started the match trying to be as solid as I could, tried to put as much pressure I could on him because I knew it probably wouldn’t be easy [for Hewitt] starting the match playing free,” de Minaur said. “He loosened up at the very end, and then it became a real battle.”
Hewitt settled in and showed some fight at the end of the set, earning a break and a hold before de Minaur served out the set.
“I just tried to stay out there competing and enjoy it. As I got into the match, I just served a little better towards the end I think, which helped me, and I started making more balls as well,” Hewitt said.
Play was more even in the second, with de Minaur countering Hewitt’s shot pace with more volleys and drop shots. De Minaur got the early break in the third game before doing it again on Cruz’s serve in the final game to win the match.
“Cruz has got some serious firepower, right? … I think that’s what’s kind of going to allow him to play against bigger hitters earlier in his career and have some success. I think, like everything, he’s got areas to improve, which I’m sure he will. But, yeah, it was exactly that,” de Minaur said.
He’ll continue his quest for his 12th ATP Tour title in Friday’s quarterfinals against Brandon Nakashima, the second-straight year they’ve met in Washington’s final eight. The American punched his ticket after defeating No. 7 Jakub Mensik of Czechia 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4.
“He’s very comfortable in these conditions. I think this is where he plays some of his best tennis,” de Minaur said of his next opponent. “He had a great win today against Jakub, and honestly, I’m expecting a battle.”
Hewitt said he will play challenger events in the U.S. next month with perhaps an eye on getting into qualifying for the U.S. Open. De Minaur will be one of many Aussies rooting him on.
“Lleyton has been an incredible help over my whole career, and I’m glad to see him be there with Cruz,” de Minaur said. “I think he’s got a bright future ahead.”
In the women’s draw, top-seed Jessica Pegula came back from a set down to eventually pull away from Poland’s Magdalena Frech, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, her 20th hard court win and 11th quarterfinal appearance of the season. She’ll face No. 5 Anna Kalinskaya of Russia, who needed a match tiebreak in the final set to beat Janice Tjen OF Indonesia, 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7).
Contact the author
Please read our comment policy before commenting.