Cruz Hewitt falls short of Wimbledon dream as Jordan Lee wins junior title
ATPSunday, 12 July 2026 at 17:45
Twenty-four years after his father Lleyton Hewitt conquered Wimbledon, Cruz Hewitt came within one victory of writing another chapter in the family’s history at the All England Club.
The 17-year-old Australian reached his first boys’ singles Grand Slam final but was denied the title after a dramatic three-set battle against American qualifier Jordan Lee, who prevailed 4-6, 6-4, 7-5.
Hewitt had been one of the stories of the tournament, arriving at the final without dropping a set and defeating four seeded opponents during his run, including the No. 2 seed. The Australian looked on course for a dream ending when he led 4-2 in the deciding set, but Lee produced a late comeback to claim the biggest title of his young career.
The defeat ended Hewitt’s bid to become the first Australian boys’ singles champion at Wimbledon since Luke Saville in 2011. It also denied him the chance to match his father’s achievement at the All England Club, where Lleyton won the men’s singles title in 2002.
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Cruz Hewitt reflects on special Wimbledon experience
Despite the disappointment, the Wimbledon final represented a major breakthrough for Hewitt, who showed he can compete on one of tennis’ biggest stages. Playing with his father in the coaching box and his mother Bec Hewitt supporting from the stands, the teenager left London with a memorable first Grand Slam junior campaign.
“It’s been a very special week for me, I think I played some very good tennis as well, being able to make the final and play on this beautiful court, it’s been really unreal,” Hewitt said after the match.
“Obviously I grew up around this tournament, seen my dad play, seen this court for many years now. It’s been a privilege to play on any court here and being around all the fans, it’s been a really good atmosphere all week.”
Hewitt’s connection with Wimbledon has been unique from an early age. Growing up around the tournament while watching his father compete, the Australian described the All England Club as a place where he always felt comfortable.
His run also marked another step in his development after making his senior Grand Slam debut at the 2025 Australian Open. Turning 18 in December, Hewitt will now transition toward the professional ranks while carrying the experience of a Wimbledon final appearance.
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Pushkareva wins historic girls’ final as Kovackova completes doubles milestone
The girls’ singles final also produced Wimbledon history, with Anna Pushkareva overcoming China’s Sun Xinran 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in the longest girls’ singles final in tournament history. The 17-year-old, seeded No. 14, recovered from a set down to win her first junior Grand Slam title after 2 hours and 23 minutes.
For Pushkareva, the victory was a major breakthrough. Before Wimbledon, she had never reached beyond the fourth round of a junior Grand Slam singles event and had only won one ITF junior title.
In girls’ doubles, Czech teenager Jana Kovackova completed a historic non-calendar-year Grand Slam alongside Katerina Zajickova. After winning the 2025 US Open, 2026 Australian Open and Roland Garros titles, Kovackova added Wimbledon to become the first player in history to complete the achievement in girls’ doubles.
Wimbledon 2026 Junior Champions
| Event | Champion | Runner-up |
| Boys’ Singles | Jordan Lee (USA) | Cruz Hewitt (Australia) |
| Girls’ Singles | Anna Pushkareva | Xinran Sun (China) |
| Boys’ Doubles | Luís Guto Miguel (Brazil) / Žiga Šeško (Slovenia) | Michael Antonius (USA) / Andrew Johnson (USA) |
| Girls’ Doubles | Jana Kovačková (Czech Republic) / Kateřina Zajíčková (Czech Republic) | Victoria Luiza Barros (Brazil) / Nauhany Vitória Leme da Silva (Brazil) |
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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- Well done to the author of this article!! A meltdown is what Coco experienced at the US Open the year she was chirping at her box, very near to tears, double faults were in great supply and she simply could not get a handle on that match. THAT AP is a meltdown!!Rapunzel12-07-2026
- This sensible approach helped Muchova... and look where she will find herself tomorrow (Wimbledon Final). Iga's wise to escape... especially to Nature and so. The wilderness (forests, lakes, mountains) has been my "Church" and escape from The Noise since I was a kid. She'll do well in the end.
mandoist10-07-2026 - "Like if it was hotter, I probably would have won, I'm not gonna lie." Geezus...mandoist08-07-2026
- This one has totally lost the plot. She is about to cross the racism line in her hatred for Russian people. NEWSFLASH DARLING -- Russian majority of citizens (and your ex-Colleagues whom you shamed) are not who you should be aiming at. Grow up.mandoist08-07-2026
- Why do all these "experts" feel the need to publicly "tell players" what they need to do, or what they're doing wrong?? How about this -- if you're so concerned with a player's situation actually take the time to contact the team in question and talk directly to them. Yapping in public media is rarely, if ever, helpful.mandoist07-07-2026
- Gee... preferential treatment all the way to the end? STOP IT WTA & WIMPLEDON !!! This entire WILLIAMS CHARADE is 100% unfair to young upcoming players who legitimately earned a shot at a Wildcard. The whole scenario with these freebies to The Williams' is pathetic and barely within the rules (which have been bent like a pretzel to accomodate them). The lamest excuse this time is "...she is a top draw". How does that apply to Wimbledon which is sold-out in advance? Stop enabling this abhorrent "Look at me" behavior. If they want to make believe they can compete -- LET THEM PLAY QUAILIFIERS LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.mandoist06-07-2026
- Is it not clear there is a mental issue here? I mean, her judgement is very suspect given her personal life 'experiences'.mandoist06-07-2026
- Are you kidding me with this soft "article"??? WTF?? Djerkovic should be DISQUALIFIED just as anyone else at WimPledon would have been for his behavior!! So what you should be writing about is how the stuffed shirts on Wimpledon's executive board and ATP can no longer hide, nor lie about, their FAVORITISM. We now have seen (and heard) that, as in politics and world of CEO's, "who" you are can afford Elitists the luxury of escaping the usual penalties according to their own bona fide rules/reg's. Not totally surprising coming from organizations which perform special rule-breaking stunts as giving the undeserving, unranked Williams' some young upcoming player's Wildcards. Neither Williams earned these WC's... let them enter via Qualifiers like anyone else!!!mandoist06-07-2026
- Real fans of the sport, that's who.mandoist06-07-2026
- I agree with Reilly, who cares about doubles reallySakkariFan2305-07-2026
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