Rafael Nadal academy snaps up former world No 1’s son as they plot to dethrone Alcaraz
14-year-old Cruz Hewitt is hoping that the Rafa Nadal Academy will give him the platform he needs to become a tennis star like his father, Lleyton Hewitt.
Rafael Nadal’s tennis academy in Mallorca has attracted another potential future star in Lleyton Hewitt’s son. The Rafa Nadal Academy revealed that 14-year-old Cruz was training at their centre on Monday. It comes after seven-time Major champion Venus Williams also picked Nadal’s spot to train following Wimbledon.
Nadal’s academy has earned a strong reputation in the tennis world since opening its doors in 2016. Located in his home of Manacor, the centre boasts world No 4 Casper Ruud among their star alumni, with the 24-year-old reaching three Grand Slam finals so far in his career.
The Rafa Nadal Academy is also a popular place for players to visit and train, with Andy Murray and Venus Williams previously hitting on site while world No 12 Felix Auger-Aliassime also uses the facility and is coached by Nadal’s uncle Toni. And there seems to be a new rising star on their books, as the institute has attracted the son of Lleyton Hewitt.
A former world No 1 and Grand Slam champion Hewitt has a teenage son who has long looked to follow in his footsteps. Now 14, there have been photos of Cruz on a tennis court surfacing for years while he won his first ITF junior title last November.
