Hewitt falls short in Australian Open qualifying against Basilashvili

MELBOURNE: Cruz Hewitt, the 16-year-old son of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, made his Australian Open debut in the qualifying rounds but fell to an experienced Nikoloz Basilashvili in straight sets, 6-1, 6-4, on Tuesday. Despite the loss, Cruz’s determination and echoes of his father’s signature “C’mon!” on crucial points caught the attention of spectators.

Basilashvili, once ranked 16th in the world, praised Cruz’s composure on court. “When I was 16, I would have been pooping my pants to come out on a Grand Slam court and play a match like this,” the Georgian remarked after the match.

Cruz’s father, Lleyton Hewitt, now Australia’s Davis Cup captain, watched from the stands. Lleyton himself made Australian Open history as a 15-year-old qualifier in 1997, beginning a storied career that saw him reach world number one and claim Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open.