Latest news with #LleytonHewitt
News.com.au
3 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
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.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Lleyton Hewitt's son Cruz suffers big setback in his quest to follow in his dad's footsteps
Cruz Hewitt has rekindled memories of his dad Lleyton's battling heyday as he went down fighting in his first-round contest in the boys' event at the French Open. The 16-year-old son of Australia's former world No.1, who had gone through qualifying to make the event at Roland Garros, proved a handful on Sunday for Italian Pierluigi Basile, two years his senior and higher-placed in the world junior standings, before succumbing 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-3. Hewitt lost the tightest of opening sets on a breaker and looked practically down and out as Basile served for the match at 5-3 in the second set and earned a match point at 5-4, but the Sydney youngster fought tigerishly to turn it around and take the match into a decider. The Italian had the superior firepower but Hewitt wouldn't lie down, revving up the the galleries packed round the tight court No.4 with the sort of crowd-rousing exhortations taken straight from his father's book. Ultimately, he lost in two hours 10 minutes, unable to reach the second round as he had done at the junior event in January at the Australian Open, where he also lost in the first round in the qualifiers for the senior event. The loss marked Cruz's grand slam return after his time at this year's tournament in Melbourne was marked by controversy surrounding him and fellow Aussie Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios was accused of harassing Hewitt over a photo the youngster posted to social media showing him posing with world No.1 Jannik Sinner, who was awaiting his punishment for breaching anti-doping rules at the time. Kyrgios, who has been a vocal critic of Sinner, was not happy at seeing the 16-year-old with the Italian. Kyrgios commented under Cruz's post: 'Love ya Cruz but this is wild', then later adding 'Cooked post' with a needle emoji. The Aussie firebrand also wrote: 'Thought we were boys' with several broken-heart emojis, with his comments drawing heavy fire from tennis fans and great of the game Andy Roddick. Kyrgios later explained that he's good friends with Cruz and his remarks were a joke between the pair. On Monday, 16-year-old Emerson Jones, the world's No.2 female junior, kicks off her campaign as top seed in the girls' event against US qualifier Capucine Jauffret, while the other Australian in the boys' tournament Ty Host will face US sixth seed Benjamin Willwerth. Hewitt wasn't the only son of a famous player to feature in Sunday's program, with fifth seed Jagger Leach, whose mother is American former triple grand slam winner Lindsay Davenport, beating Kazakh Zangar Nurlanuly 6-1 1-6 6-0.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tennis fans left saddened over disappointing development around Cruz Hewitt
Tennis fans were left in awe of Cruz Hewitt's display at the French Open on Sunday, but saddened that he couldn't progress past the first round of the junior boys event. The 16-year-old showed the same trademark fight that was common in father Lleyton's matches, taking his older and higher-ranked opponent to the brink. Cruz went through qualifying to make the junior event at Roland Garros, and proved a handful on Sunday for Pierluigi Basile. The Italian player is two years older and higher-placed in the world junior standings at No.24, compared to Hewitt at 41. The 16-year-old Aussie managed to win the second set against his 18-year-old opponent, before succumbing 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 6-3. Hewitt lost a very tight opening set in a tie-breaker, and looked headed for a straight-sets exit when Basile served for the match at 5-3 in the second. Basile also had a match point at 5-4, but Hewitt managed to reel off four consecutive games to send the match to a decider. The Aussie youngster was revving up the crowd and willing them to keep him in the contest, showing the same grit and determination that his father showed. But in the end Hewitt ran out of steam and it was Basile advancing to the second round. The Aussie lost in two hours and 10 minutes, unable to reach the second round as he had done at the junior event in January at the Australian Open. Hewitt had also lost in the first round in the senior qualifying event in Melbourne after being granted a wildcard. The 16-year-old is trying to emulate his famous father and make a career of his own, but has so far failed to make it past the second round of a junior grand slam event. Fans were left impressed by his performance on Sunday, but disappointed he couldn't go any further. He wasn't the only son of a famous player to feature on Sunday, with fifth seed Jagger Leach beating Kazakh player Zangar Nurlanuly 6-1 1-6 6-0. Leach is the son of American former triple grand slam winner Lindsay Davenport. Hewitt's fellow Aussie 16-year-old Emerson Jones - the world's No.2 female junior - will kick off her campaign as top seed in the girls' event against US qualifier Capucine Jauffret on Monday (local time), The other Australian in the boys' tournament (Ty Host) will face US sixth seed Benjamin Willwerth. The only Australian remaining in the senior singles tournament is Daria Kasatkina, after Alexei Popyrin proved no match for Tommy Paul on Sunday night. Popyrin's encouraging week in Paris ended in anti-climatic fashion after a crushing 6-3 6-3 6-3 loss to 12th seed Paul in the fourth round. "I'm definitely happy with my week's work, just disappointed with the way it ended," the 25-year-old said. "Look, if I lost this match and I played good tennis then, then I would have been sufficed and happy, but I lost and didn't play my best, really didn't do what I wanted to do, what I've been what I've been banging on about all week, consistency. "There was no consistency today, it was a very, very up-and-down match. And it was just not the way I planned for it." RELATED: Alex de Minaur and fiancee captured in behind-the-scenes moment Tennis world saddened after brutal development for Kyrgios and Osaka Kasatkina will face 18-year-old wizz-kid Mirra Andreeva on Monday after a 6-1 7-5 defeat of former World No.2 Paula Badosa in the third round. Kasatkina is playing her first tournament under the Australian flag after switching allegiances from Russia. with AAP
