Cruz Hewitt has vowed to blossom again at Wimbledon as he brushed off the heartbreak of just failing to follow in the celebrated footsteps of his father, 24 years after Lleyton won the men’s title.
With his dad watching on and cajoling him from the players’ box on No 1 Court, the 17-year-old Sydney prospect Hewitt fell agonisingly short in the boys’ final on Sunday after he had led 4-2 in the final set against talented young American prospect Jordan Lee.
Hewitt had looked on the verge of becoming Australia’s first winner of the junior men’s tournament for 15 years since Luke Saville, but qualifier Lee, at 16 the youngest boy in the event, stormed back, coming from a set down in a thrilling roller-coaster contest 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Hewitt’s disappointment after the two-hour three-minute final was palpable as his parents Lleyton and Bec, and coaching team headed by Wayne Arthurs, tried to reassert that he had enjoyed a fantastic tournament, one in which he had not dropped a set until the final.
The youngster showed considerable maturity in the way he handled his disappointment and, confirming he had probably played his last junior match now, he plans to concentrate on the senior pro ranks and hopes to be back in the senior men’s draw, both at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.
“Yeah, that would definitely be one of one of my big goals long-term,” he said, when asked if he hopes to back playing in the Wimbledon event which his father won in 2002. “I’d have to get my ranking up a little bit, but with a whole lot of hard work, it’s possible. I look forward to definitely coming back in the future for the men’s.”
Both Hewitt and Lee, who only turned 16 in May, looked like stars of the future as they locked into a tremendous battle but in the denouement, Lee proved the stronger as, serving to stay in the match a second time, Hewitt double-faulted en route to being broken to love.
Ultimately, Hewitt suffered the same fate as the last Australian boy to have made the final here. Alex de Minaur lost in the 2016 championship match but has since gone on to become one of the world’s top six players.
De Minaur had been hitting with the teenager over the week, while British breakout star, semi-finalist Arthur Fery, also practised with the youngster in what Hewitt accepted at the presentation on court afterwards had been a great experience.
“It’s been a very special week for me, I’ve played some really good tennis,” he told the crowd. “I grew up around this tournament, seeing my dad play here and it’s a privilege playing on any court here. It’s been a really good atmosphere all week.
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“I feel like people this week maybe have seen how well I can play. Obviously, it’s disappointing to lose the final, but I think it’s a really good week.“Definitely had some good memories at Wimbledon. I wish I could have won today’s match, but no it’s still a good memory, it’s been fun.”
Currently world No 606, that ranking is sure to rise as Hewitt showcased an impressive, attacking game which only really came up short because his opponent Lee looks as if he could be something special.
Hewitt hopes Australian Open organisers could end up furnishing him with a wildcard next season.
“That would be the dream,” he said, “and that’s a big goal of mine – and I feel like I I can show my level.”
