Tennis: 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt wins first ATP main draw match in Washington, mimics father's celebration

Tennis prodigy Cruz Hewitt, son of Australian legend Lleyton Hewitt, has made a significant mark on his professional career. The 17-year-old secured his first ATP Tour main draw victory at the Washington Open, defeating American Marcos Giron 6-3, 6-4 in just 74 minutes.

This win marks a proud moment for the Hewitt family, especially as Lleyton Hewitt himself won the Washington title in 2004, four years before Cruz was born. Following his triumph, the young Hewitt celebrated by imitating his father's iconic "Vicht" pose – a gesture he has admired since childhood. "He always does that, I've watched him do it my whole life, and now I can do it too, it feels great," Cruz shared, emphasizing his father's profound influence. "It's a very special moment to have Dad involved in this tournament and to win my first tour match, it's really awesome."

Cruz Hewitt, who recently reached the Wimbledon boys' singles final, advanced to the main draw in Washington through the qualifying rounds. His impressive performance sets up a second-round clash against either his compatriot and top seed Alex de Minaur or Greek star Stefanos Tsitsipas.

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He always does that, I've watched him do it my whole life, and now I can do it too, it feels great. It's a very special moment to have Dad involved in this tournament and to win my first tour match, it's really awesome.