When asked about the weight of expectations that accompany his rise through Australian tennis, Cruz Hewitt just smiles and shrugs.
The tall, lanky 15-year-old son of Wimbledon and US Open champion Lleyton is making his name on the junior circuit, hitting with idols such as Alex de Minaur and dreaming of big things.
Naturally the comparisons to father and Australian Davis Cup captain Lleyton have come and will keep on coming.
But Cruz is taking it all in his stride.
‘It is what it is. But I don’t really mind,’ he said at Monday night’s Newcombe Medal, where he was nominated for male junior athlete of the year.
‘It just drives me to be better.’
At 15 Cruz Hewitt already towers over his famous parents Lleyton and Bec Hewitt
The teenage star is already drawing comparisons to his father as he tries to make it in the tennis world
His father notes of the inevitable comparisons: ‘Oh, they’ve already been there – ever since he picked up a racquet.
‘He’s just got to enjoy it as much as possible and make it fun. He’s been doing great so far.’
Though Cruz would have been seven when his father retired, he is familiar with Lleyton’s highlights.
‘I’ve seen a few of them, just some of the big matches,’ he said.
‘I think we have a bit of a different game style.’
There is no escaping the obvious difference: height.
Cruz, who will be 16 on Wednesday, already towers over his father and could have more growth spurts to come.
‘It’s hard to know how he’ll end up,’ Lleyton admits.
Cruz still has plenty of growing to do and will have a very different style of game to Lleyton
Cruz poses with young Australian tennis stars Hayden and Emerson Jones at the Newcombe Medal Australian Tennis Awards
‘But he’s a good shot maker. He’s got a little bit more firepower than probably I did, but, yeah, it’s a long journey, absolutely.’
Cruz already knows the way he wants to play.
‘I like to bring the energy,’ he said.
‘And (to) serve – I love hitting forehands as well.
‘I love Ben Shelton and I love (now-retired) Dominic Thiem.’
Cruz is currently the junior world No.107, but got as high as No.99 in October.
He won two ITF junior titles this year and claimed his first professional win in August.
The younger Hewitt will continue working his way through the junior ranks, playing at Traralgon, then returning to Melbourne Park for the Australians Open boys’ event after suffering a first-round exit on debut this year.
‘The crowd was so good. The support was amazing,’ he said.
‘I was a bit sad I didn’t get the win, but it was still a great experience, and definitely I learned a lot, so I’m excited to get back out there next year.’
And his father will keep stressing patience, noting few youngsters – bar the best, such as Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz – can handle best-of-five sets tennis against grown men.
‘It’s getting harder and harder to jump on to the men’s tour at such a young age and to make that transition,’ Lleyton Hewitt said.
‘So he’s just got to enjoy it. And it’s stepping stones, it’s about always trying to keep improving.’
