Aussie tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt’s son Cruz brings up his first big professional win as he follows in his dad’s footsteps

Cruz Hewitt, the son of tennis legend Lleyton, is following in his father’s footsteps after taking out the first professional win of his career in Darwin on Sunday.

The 14-year-old son of the former world number-one and two-time Grand Slam champion is already making waves in the tennis world.

Cruz claimed his his first ever pro win during the first round of qualifiers at the Darwin Tennis International over the weekend, winning 3-6, 6-4, 10-5 over 25-year-old opponent Brian Tran.

The teenage prodigy then backed it up with another win (6-3, 6(4)-7, 10-3) over 21-year-old Jerome Iaconi in the second round.

The rising star bowed out of the round of 32 on Wednesday afternoon after he was beaten convincingly by 24-year-old Jesse Delaney, 3-6, 1-6 in the third round of qualifiers.

The 14-year-old son of the former world number-one is already making waves 

‘I’m feeling pretty good,’ Hewitt told News Corp.

‘I’m pretty stoked on getting that win because I had to come from behind. I was fired-up to be honest,’ he said.

‘It’s cool getting to go to different places like here (Darwin) and it’s a lot of fun, but I came here to test myself at this level against some older players and see how I go.

‘I also get to miss school today because I won, so that’s even better.’

His father wasn’t court-side to witness the win, but Cruz says he gave him a call to give him the good news.

‘He (Lleyton) is actually at the Davis Cup at the moment so he wasn’t able to come,’ Hewitt said.

‘But I spoke to him on the phone and he was pretty happy and stoked that I won’

Lleyton Hewitt was seen watching Cruz play at the IMF Quarter Finals held in Sydney in August – and couldn’t have looked prouder.

Hewitt beat 24-year-old in the first round of qualifiers on Sunday (pic from IMF quarterfinals)

Tennis sources have described Cruz as ‘as good if not better’ than his dad at the same age

The teen has had tennis ambitions for some time and in 2021 the Hewitt family upped stumps from Melbourne and plonked down just over $4million for a prized Burleigh Heads mansion on the Gold Coast.

Daily Mail Australia revealed the motive behind the Gold Coast relocation was all part of their ‘Cruz Mission’ to develop the burgeoning tennis career of son Cruz.

Local sources in the tight-knit tennis community have revealed the Hewitt’s ditched the unpredictable weather and Covid lockdowns of Melbourne in favour of the warm and sunny conditions of the Gold Coast where Cruz had begun serious training.

It’s understood Cruz’s Wimbledon champ dad Lleyton was drawn to the Coast’s many sprawling tennis centres – made up of a mix of grass, clay and hardcourt surfaces – as well as the multi-million dollar ‘champion factory’ KDV tennis academy located in Carrara.

The state-of-the-art centre – which includes 20 courts, hotel accommodation, gyms, a pool and driving range – will serve as a makeshift base for Team Hewitt as Cruz continues his rise through the international junior ranks.

Tennis sources have described Cruz as ‘as good if not better’ than his famous dad at the same age and that the budding ace is a bona fide future superstar.