De Minaur, the top seed and defending champion, secured a decisive win over 17-year-old Cruz Hewitt in 61 minutes at the Mubadala DC Open in Washington. De Minaur triumphed with a scoreline of 6-2, 6-3. The victory propelled him into the quarter-finals of the ATP 500 tournament.
A generational clash on the court
Cruz Hewitt, the son of former World No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, brought only 22 ATP-level matches of experience to the court. De Minaur, who has watched Cruz grow up in the tennis world, acknowledged the odd feeling of facing him in a competitive match in front of a live crowd. The first set threatened to become a demolition as De Minaur raced to a 5-0 lead, but Hewitt found his feet, breaking back in the sixth game and holding serve before succumbing 6-2.
Following the match, De Minaur shared a heartfelt hug with Cruz at the net while Lleyton observed from the stands. 'I’m sure we’re going to have many battles in the years to come.' De Minaur added: 'It was definitely weird. I knew I was going to play him on the tour someday, but I didn't actually expect it to be this week. It was an amazing feeling. Even all the lead up, seeing all the incredible pictures that we have together and how we've both grown up. I'm glad I managed to get through.'
Efficiency over endurance
De Minaur had previously overcome a tough challenge against Stefanos Tsitsipas in his opening round on Wednesday. In contrast, this match saw a more polished performance, as De Minaur used net charges and precise shot-making to control the pace. He now stands at 29-14 for the season. Cruz, who has risen 252 spots to No. 360 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings, made his mark in the tournament by defeating Marcos Giron in his debut match after passing through qualifying rounds.
Next up: Nakashima
De Minaur is set to face American Brandon Nakashima, who edged out seventh seed Jakub Mensik in three sets. Nakashima defeated Mensik 7-6(5), 3-6, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals for the second straight year. Their previous match saw Nakashima win at Queen's Club in June, but De Minaur holds a 2-1 edge in their ATP Head2Head series. Notably, De Minaur’s lone win against Nakashima came in last year’s Washington quarter-finals, before he went on to win the title.
De Minaur is now aiming to defend his title in Washington and continue his strong form as the World No. 6. This week marks his return to the court after marrying WTA star Katie Boulter earlier this month.
Hewitt, who has grown up alongside De Minaur under the guidance of his father, Lleyton, who serves as a captain for Australia’s Davis Cup and United Cup teams, is already making waves in his brief ATP career. His rapid rise highlights the next generation of tennis talent emerging on the circuit.