Cruz Hewitt, the 17‑year‑old son of former world No.1 Lleyton Hewitt, secured his first ATP main‑draw victory at the Washington Open, defeating fellow qualifier chimp Marcos Giron 6‑3 6‑4 in just 74 minutes.

The tournament is a touchstone of his father's legacy, where Lleyton captured his 30th career title and the 2002 Wimbledon crown. Cruz said, “Seeing my dad play here and earning my first tour win feels really cool.”

He could next face top‑seeded fellow Australian Alex de Minaur, the defending champion, who will meet Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas on Wednesday. After the win, Cruz replicated his dad’s famed right‑arm bicep curl celebration, saying it was “cool to do that now.”

Inspired by his father's name on the Washington ring of champions, Cruz admitted it was “very surreal” and “inspirational to look up at it.” He added he feels comfortable at the event, dreaming of playing such tournaments and enjoying the behind‑the‑scenes experience.