Tennis Prediction Alex de Minaur vs Cruz Hewitt: Washington

Washington 🇺🇸

• The most beautiful story of the week in Washington crosses tonight the least romantic player on the circuit. And I'm on the side of the machine.

• The story first, because it deserves respect: Cruz Hewitt, 17 years old, 612th in the world, coming from the qualifications, just signed his first real ATP victory against Marcos Giron, 6-3, 6-4, without trembling. Youngest winner of a match here since a certain Kei Nishikori in 2007.

• And the setting exists nowhere else: Cruz's father is called Lleyton Hewitt, that is to say the Davis Cup captain and longtime mentor of Alex De Minaur. The kid is challenging tonight his father's protégé.

• However, we need to put the magnitude of the tale in its proper perspective: out of the three wins of his week, two ended with the opponent's retirement. The gap tonight is wider than what the momentum suggests.

• Because on the other side, it's the worst possible draw for a dream. De Minaur doesn't give away games, doesn't go through dry spells, never plays a point halfway: the world #6 is consistency made player, and he's at home here, defending champion, six wins in a row at this tournament.

• His opening match yesterday reiterated it: Tsitsipas dismissed in three sets in a true rhythm match. You don't go from a fight like that to soft management against a qualifier.

• The only debate tonight is not the winner's name, it's the manner: De Minaur should be able to break at least once in each set thanks to his return quality and it's precisely this intensity on every point that makes the one-sided scenario credible.

• I see a clean, focused match, where the gap widens from the first returns. Cruz Hewitt will have other nights. This one belongs to the master of the house.