An amazing feeling - De Minaur on first encounter with Cruz Hewitt. [Ot9NJRwhmCE]
Defending champion and top seed Alex de Minaur put friendship and sentiment aside to secure a clinical 6-2, 6-3 victory over 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt at the Mubadala DC Open. Hewitt, son of former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, faced his long-time mentor and practice partner in a high-profile first-time ATP Tour meeting under the watchful eye of his father on Stadium Court. Reflecting on the emotional matchup afterward, De Minaur acknowledged the surreal experience of facing a player he had watched grow up, while noting that familiarity with each other’s games made execution critical. Behind a reliable serve in key moments, the World No. 6 sealed the 61-minute victory to advance to the Washington quarter-finals, where he will take on American Brandon Nakashima. Despite the defeat for the younger Aussie, De Minaur tipped the match as only the first of many future battles between the two.