Cruz Hewitt ‘valiant' in opening round French Open defeat
Cruz Hewitt has given a glimpse of his old man's famous fighting spirit in his first round match at the French Open.
The son of Lleyton Hewitt had stormed through qualifying to secure a spot in the junior boys' tournament at Roland Garros.
Watch every game of The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Cruz took on Italian Pierluigi Basile overnight on Sunday in a hard fought match, ultimately going down 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-3.
A very tight first set was claimed by Basile, who is two years older than Hewitt and higher in the world junior rankings.
But the 16-year-old Aussie fought back to win the second set on Court No. 4, with Cruz revving up the crowd with a gritty performance reminiscent of his dad.
Basile had too much firepower and went on to win the third set, claiming the marathon match in two hours and 10 minutes as Cruz fell short of the second round.
The teenager made the second round of the Australian Open juniors in January, where he lost in the first round in qualifiers for the men's tournament.
Tennis Australia said Hewitt, the world No. 41 junior, was 'valiant' in his first round loss, recording 10 aces in the defeat.
There has been mixed success for Australia's contingent at the French Open, with Alex de Minaur losing in five sets in the second round to Alexander Bublik.
Alexei Popyrin progressed to the fourth round before suffering a 6-3 6-3 6-3 defeat to American Tommy Paul.
In the women's draw, newly adopted Australia Daria Kasatkina takes on Russian teen sensation Mirra Andreeva in the fourth round on Monday night (AEST).
Another Aussie, Ty Host takes on the USA's Benjamin Willwerth in their boys' singles first round.
In the girls' singles first round, Australia's Emerson Jones is the top seed and will take on American qualifier Capucine Jauffet.
Jones, who has been mentioned as Ash Barty's successor, is aiming to reach her third junior grand slam final after reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open.
Australian boys' No. 2 Ty Host opens his account against reigning Australian Open boys' finalist Benjamin Willwerth. Host hopes to become the first Australian boys' singles champion in France since Popyrin in 2017.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
42 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Olympic champ speaks out as JK Rowling gender furore rages
Olympic champ Imane Khelif has made her first public statement after details of a gender test were leaked to media outlets this week. It comes as outspoken author JK Rowling made further startling claims about the gender test furore that has raged this week. Boxing was rocked this week when reports emerged a test conducted in 2023 appeared to show the gold medal-winner is a biological male. The bombshell documents have dropped more than a year after the Algerian fighter sparked an international backlash as she went on to win the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Khelif was approved to compete in Paris by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) despite being banned by the International Boxing Association (IBA) one year earlier. The IBA banned Khelif after biological samples were tested in New Delhi in 2023 — with the test results allegedly showing the DNA of a 'male'. It comes as World Boxing announced it is introducing mandatory gender testing to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes. World Boxing singled Khelif out when making its announcement, saying the organisation has informed the Algerian Boxing Federation that Khelif would have to undergo the test if she wanted to compete at the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands on June 5-10. In a swirling saga, World Boxing on Wednesday morning (AEST) apologised for further publicising Khelif's case. The Algerian was defiant when taking to social media on Tuesday, where she ignored the furore. Khelif's Instagram post celebrated Unicef's Global Day of Parents, and featured a photo of her in a blue polo shirt as she formed a heart with her hands. 'Today, I became a champion, but it all started long ago,' she posted. 'When my parents believed in me, even when the dream felt too big. When they supported me, listened to me, and stood by me. 'Being a parent isn't easy. There's no manual. But the love, patience, and trust you give your child can change everything. 'On this #GlobalDayOfParents, I just want to say thank you. Thank you to every parent who chooses, every single day, to be there for their children. 'Together with @unicefalgerie, I'm celebrating these everyday heroes. Because when parents are supported, children can dream and succeed.' Rowling, meanwhile, has also shrugged off a social media backlash to continue to criticise Khelif's participation in the women's light welterweight division at the Paris Games. The Harry Potter novelist wrote on X: 'A raft of people in sports media publicly cheered on men beating up women in the name of entertainment and not one of them will lose their job. 'No demographic other than women could be treated this egregiously without consequences. Naked misogyny.' Khelif has always denied being a biological male and even named Rowling and Elon Musk in a cyberbullying lawsuit. Author Rowling is a prolific user of social media and has emerged as an outspoken voice on women's rights as well as transgender and gender issues. Rowling — who has 14.3 million followers on X — posted on Tuesday: 'It's a win for women because they won't be battered to death in the ring by men. 'If you had any idea what physical tests women go through routinely in their lives you'd know a cheek swab is no bigger deal than flossing your teeth. 'Any more moronic questions, wing them over'. Rowling also posted: 'I never said and never believed Khelif was trans. I knew* he was a man'. One social media user responded to Rowling's post by writing: 'Spreading hatred because you can't resist transphobia'. However, the author responded: 'Intersex doesn't mean a third sex, a mixture of both sexes, or a hermaphrodite. 'Many people with DSDs (differences of sexual development) find the outdated term 'intersex' highly offensive, precisely because it means ignorant people like you suggest they aren't male or female'. Former British Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies — who has been a vocal critic of Khelif's participation in women's competitions — has also spoken publicly since the test result was leaked. Davies was caught in the middle of a social media storm during the Paris Games after writing: 'I'm so angry at the IOC they learn nothing from history or science & women continually pay the price.' Davies has now written: 'Please stand with all female athletes, at all levels in all sport. 'Women & girls are worthy of their own sports, free from any & all males. 'Allowing males in a sports category they have no place in is cheating in full sight. Don't remain silent anymore.' World Boxing will organise the boxing competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after being granted provisional recognition by the IOC. The eyes of the world will be watching to see the results of any gender test Khelif may undergo through World Boxing — with her 2023 test result continuing to create headlines around the globe. As reported by The Sun, the IOC — who replaced the IBA as the Olympic's boxing governing body — were warned about the 2023 tests and urged to remove Khelif from the competition. But Khelif was allowed to box in Paris because of her female passport status. Now, the alleged sex-test results from the 2023 World Championships have been published for the first time by 3 Wire Sports. The medical report appears to indicate that the boxer is biologically male. American journalist Alan Abrahamson produced the result of a test said to have been carried out on the boxer in New Delhi in March 2023 - which triggered the boxer's disqualification. The document published summarises the findings on Khelif as 'abnormal', stating: 'Chromosome analysis reveals male karyotype.' A karyotype refers to an individual's complete set of chromosomes, which in Khelif's case has been reported by (IBA) as being XY, the male pattern. The alleged test results carry the letterhead of Dr Lal PathLabs in New Delhi, accredited by the American College of Pathologists and certified by the Swiss-based International Organisation for Standardisation. This directly challenges what IOC spokesman Mark Adams said in a tense news conference at the Paris Olympics. He described the results that saw Khelif banned as 'ad hoc' and 'not legitimate'. IOC president Thomas Bach even claimed that the results are the product of a Russian-led misinformation campaign. Khelif, meanwhile, has vowed to fight on, even eyeing another gold at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Here are the current rules on isolating when you're sick this flu season
I don't know about you, but the times of having to quarantine due to COVID-19 feel like a distant memory. But around this time each year, we're reminded that the virus is still active, as are many other serious respiratory illnesses during "flu season". There have been more than 65,000 cases of COVID-19 so far this year nationwide, more than 81,000 Influenza cases and 50,000 cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), according to the Australian Respiratory Surveillance Report. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also designated a new strain known as NB.1.8.1, which is now the dominant variant in China and Hong Kong, as a "variant under monitoring". So, what has changed when it comes to quarantine rules? And do you still have to isolate if you or a family member has a respiratory illness? Advanced epidemiologist Anne Maree Baldwin says we're in a different situation now than five years ago when COVID-19 first arrived in Australia. "We had a new virus in a population without immunity, which was expected to have devastating impacts," says the public health expert from the Sunshine Coast/Kabi Kabi lands. "But now all or almost all of the population has some immunity to COVID through vaccination and having the disease." We are no longer required by law to quarantine or isolate when we have COVID-19. But Ms Baldwin says it is recommended. "Stay home and away from others when you have symptoms, irrespective of whether it's COVID or another respiratory illness," she says. "If you must go out, we ask people to wear a mask, avoid indoor or crowded situations, and keep away from others as best you can." Dr Libby Sander is an associate professor of organisational behaviour at Bond University on the Gold Coast/Kombumerri. She says there has been a culture shift since the pandemic back to a place where some employees feel obligated to go back to work even if they're unwell. "I'm often hearing [about instances] where people are being expected to go to work when they're sick because of staff shortages or they just feel obliged to go in because of the workload. "If you are sick, you shouldn't go to work, no-one wants you to make them sick." You can be infectious with respiratory illness from up to 48 hours before your symptoms start. So, if you've had a loved one or housemate at home who's been unwell, should you go to work? Ms Baldwin says it comes down to organisational policy. "Just communicating first and foremost, so everyone's aware," she says. "In general, quarantine isn't needed if exposed to COVID, we just ask that you stay away from others if you develop symptoms." She says it's particularly important to avoid people more likely to get severely sick, including immunocompromised people, older people, infants, and pregnant women. Dr Sander says working from home arrangements can provide people with security and flexibility. "If you're not really unwell you can keep working, you're not worrying about infecting other people … so I think flexibility is really important." In general, you don't automatically need to take a rapid antigen tests (RAT) after being around someone who's been sick. But it is recommended if you start developing symptoms or are planning on visiting a high-risk setting like aged care facilities, disability care, hospitals, or other healthcare settings. Ms Baldwin says testing is important for people who are either very sick or need antiviral medicine. "We have the RAT tests and they're widely available now in supermarkets and pharmacies, often for about $10," she says. "Some can test for four viruses, Influenza strains A and B, COVID and RSV. "The RATs are helpful for a quick result, which is important when the COVID and influenza antiviral should be started in a day or two of symptom onset." A diagnosis for whooping cough requires a PCR test (polymerase chain reaction) from a GP to receive the necessary antibiotics. Chief medical officer at Healthdirect Australia, Nirvana Luckraj, says if you have tested positive for respiratory illness, "you should stay at home until all of your acute symptoms have gone". She says acute symptoms include sneezing, coughing and a sore throat. "If you still have acute symptoms like a cough after seven days, you may still be infectious. You should continue to wear a mask and physically distance whenever possible." Our experts say it's important to prepare yourself each year. "We see COVID waves and whooping cough at any time of the year and most RSV is actually at this time of year," Ms Baldwin says. "So being prepared is important and the best way to do that is vaccinate." You can get both the COVID and influenza vaccines at the same appointment — the Australian Department of Health advises that it is safe to do this and doctors and pharmacists will now allow this. This is general information only. For personal advice, you should see a qualified medical practitioner.
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni to visit Yarraman Park stallion I Am Invincible this breeding season
Yarraman Park has confirmed that its three-time champion stallion I Am Invincible will be the first mating for reigning horse of the year Pride Of Jenni this breeding season. I Am Invincible, who will command a $220,000 service fee this season, leads this year's sires tables for both individual winners (180) and two-year-old stakes winners (5). He's the sire of champion sprinter Imperatriz and this year produced Vinrock, the winner of the Group 1 Sires Produce Stakes in Sydney. It looks a match made in heaven with Pride Of Jenni, a winner of 10 races – including her dashing victory in the 2024 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes – and more than $10 million in prizemoney. Pride Of Jenni's owner Tony Ottobre said in a Yarraman Park announcement that he was 'in awe' of what I Am Invincible had done in his stallion career so far. 'I did look at the top stallions that were already here and I Am Invincible came up as a really good cross with her line of Street Cry, but also the fact that it's doubling to a superstar broodmare, Eljazzi,' he said. 'Eljazzi being the mother of Rafha, being the mother of Invincible Spirit. And Eljazzi, who's the mother of Al Anood who's the mother Pride Of Dubai (Pride Of Jenni's sire).'
