De Miñaur praises Cruz Hewitt before their match in Washington: "It's not easy to dedicate yourself to tennis being the son of a former world number 1"

Streaming ATP Washington live tennis

🎾 Alex De Minaur vs Cruz Hewitt

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Álex de Miñaur will face one of the most special matches of his career at the ATP 500 Washington 2026, where he will play in the second round against Cruz Hewitt. Ten years separate these two players who have been connected for a long time by a relationship that goes beyond tennis, and the Australian number one has not held back praises for the young son of Lleyton Hewitt.

Some matches have an emotional component that is impossible to ignore. Lleyton has been a key figure in the development of Álex de Miñaur, acting as a mentor, closely following him from his early steps on the tour, and becoming an important figure off the court as well. This relationship led to Cruz Hewitt being very present in Álex's life from a young age.

They have shared countless training sessions and moments together, but now the growth of the young Australian has led to a situation that not too long ago seemed distant: facing each other on opposite sides of the net in a major ATP tournament. Álex talked about all this in words collected by Ben Rothenberg.

De Miñaur praises Cruz Hewitt's merit under extraordinary pressure

Beyond the friendship between them, De Miñaur wanted to focus on a circumstance he deems essential to understand Cruz's evolution. Being the son of a former world number one and one of the greatest figures in Australian tennis history may open some doors, but it also involves living from an extraordinarily early age with expectations that are challenging to manage.

"I think we have to show him a lot of respect because it's not easy being the son of a former world number one, is it? Since he started and picked up a racquet, even when he was competing in junior tournaments, all expectations, all eyes, and spotlights were already on him. It's not easy when you have that kind of weight on your shoulders," reflected De Miñaur.

You couldn’t script it 📝🤯

In the Washington DC second round, Cruz Hewitt will take on top seed/mentor/big brother Alex de Minaur!#GoAussies pic.twitter.com/f9PsQmzNST

— TennisAustralia (@TennisAustralia) July 30, 2026

Cruz has had to grow up hearing constant comparisons with his father and witnessing how any result carries a greater repercussion than usual for a player of his age. De Miñaur, who is familiar with the Hewitt environment, considers particularly valuable the way in which the young one has learned to live with that reality.

"I consider that he has done an incredible job maturing and maintaining his head very well, finding his own path, and becoming his own player. He is learning to deal with the spotlights and expectations really well, going out there, achieving results on his own, and proving that he deserves to be where he is," he affirmed.

Álex de Miñaur praises Cruz Hewitt's personality and character

Perhaps there lies the greatest praise from De Miñaur. The challenge for Cruz is not only to progress enough to compete on the professional circuit but to reach a point where people speak of Cruz Hewitt as a tennis player and not simply as Lleyton Hewitt's son.

Álex perceives that this process is already underway. Having closely observed his growth allows him to appreciate the personal evolution that accompanies his tennis and how he is building his own identity. "He deserves a lot of respect for the way he has managed what would have been a difficult upbringing for anyone in that situation. He's a fantastic guy. He's doing great," stated the current Australian tennis leader.

This is not an evaluation made from a distance. The ten-year difference between them has allowed De Miñaur to have practically witnessed the entire growth process of Cruz while he himself was establishing himself among the best players in the world. The shared training sessions have been frequent, and his family bond with the Hewitt family adds a very particular dimension to the upcoming duel.

Lleyton Hewitt's role in the careers of De Miñaur and Cruz

It's impossible to understand everything surrounding this match without stopping to consider Lleyton Hewitt. The two-time Grand Slam champion has accompanied De Miñaur's evolution for years, becoming one of his great mentors and imparting much of that competitive culture that defined his own career.

De Miñaur also wanted to acknowledge the work that Lleyton has done as a father to allow Cruz to find his way without being overshadowed by the weight of his last name. "In my opinion, Lleyton has done an incredible job as a father, always helping him whenever he can. They have created a fantastic environment, and that has contributed to him becoming a very good tennis player," explained Álex.

There is a certain generational continuity in the scene that Washington will offer. For years, Hewitt advised and accompanied a young De Miñaur trying to make his way among the best. Now it is Álex who is fully established in the elite and observes how the son of his mentor begins to walk that same path.

From training together to facing each other in an ATP 500

All of this turns their second-round encounter into one of the most emotionally charged matches of the ATP 500 Washington 2026. De Miñaur enters with the experience and favoritism that correspond to his position on the tour, but he will face a player he has known for years and whose growth he has witnessed from a privileged position.

For Cruz Hewitt, it represents an extraordinary opportunity to measure his tennis against one of the great references of his country. It will no longer be a training session between two people in a close relationship but an official match in an ATP 500, with all that implies.

Álex de Miñaur knows better than almost anyone what his upcoming rival has had to manage to get here. Therefore, even before the ball starts flying, he wanted to convey a clear idea: Cruz may carry one of the heaviest surnames in Australian tennis, but the steps he is taking are starting to belong to him alone.

"He is achieving results on his own and proving that he deserves to be where he is," De Miñaur concluded. Washington will now witness a curious role reversal: the boy who many times shared the court with one of his father's great proteges will face him as a professional and with the intention of showing how far he can go.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, De Miñaur alaba a Cruz Hewitt antes de su duelo en Washington: "No es nada fácil dedicarse al tenis siendo hijo de un exnúmero 1 del mundo"