It was a strong start for Australia’s junior contingent at Wimbledon, with three advancing on Sunday to the second round of the singles events.
For the second straight yet, Cruz Hewitt won his opening match in the boys’ singles event, this time with a dominant 6-1 6-2 triumph over Spain’s Valentin Gonzalez Galino.
It’s Hewitt’s first junior event since last year’s US Open; the 17-year-old Aussie has since transitioned to the World Tennis (formerly ITF) circuit, winning almost 20 matches and advancing to the final of the Australian Pro Tour event in Wodonga.
That final was on grass, and Hewitt also showed his aptitude on the surface by advancing to the final round of qualifying at the recent Dublin ATP Challenger.
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Hewitt, whose father Lleyton won the Wimbledon men’s singles title in 2002, next faces 14th seed Mathys Domenc of France.
A win would see him reach the last 16 at a Grand Slam junior tournament for the first time.
Fellow Aussie Daniel Jovanovski outplayed Brit Isaac Sallu 6-4 6-2; it’s the second time the 18-year-old is through to the second round of a junior Grand Slam, after Australian Open 2026.
Jovanovski, who is also teaming with Aussie Jake Dembo in boys’ doubles, will play eighth seed Zangar Nurlanuly of Kazakhstan for a place in the singles third round.
Compatriot Mustafa Ege Sik won two matches to qualify for the main draw before falling in the first round 6-4 7-6(7) to Brit Liam Channon.
Meanwhile, in the girls’ singles draw, Renee Alame won her first main-draw match at the Championships after competing last year in qualifying.
The 17-year-old dismissed Britain’s Holly Smart 7-5 6-2 to set up a second-round battle with 14th seed Anna Pushkareva.
This is the fourth time Alame has reached the second round at a junior Grand Slam, after the Australian and US Opens in 2025, and again at AO 2026.
A win over Pushkareva would see her debut in the third round at this level.
Alame will also compete in the girls’ doubles draw with Latvia’s Adelina Lacinova.
You can watch Wimbledon on the channels of the Nine Network and Stan Sport.