Cruz Hewitt's Wimbledon run inspires new wave of young tennis talent at Canberra's premier high school program

Cruz Hewitt’s loss in the Wimbledon boys’ singles final on Monday has struck a chord at the Lyneham Tennis Centre, where enrolment in the high school program has jumped more than 40 per cent this winter, according to club figures provided to The Daily Canberra.

The 17-year-old, son of former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, fell to Jordan Lee in the final at the All England Club, but his run to the championship match has galvanised interest among Canberra’s junior competitors. Lyneham head coach Marcus Tiley said the club’s after-school squad, which runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Northbourne Avenue, now has a waiting list of 28 students aged 14 to 18.

Where the boom is hitting hardest

Maribyrnong College’s tennis program has long been the benchmark, but the Lyneham academy, which trains on eight hard courts off Flemington Road, has become the fastest-growing high school tennis hub in the capital. The club reports that more than half its new enrollees this term are from nearby Lyneham High School and Canberra College.

The program offers three tiers: beginner, intermediate and elite. The elite group, which trains six days a week, produced two quarterfinalists at the recent Under-18 ACT Championships at the Canberra Tennis Centre in Queanbeyan.

What happens next

Lyneham Tennis Centre is now weighing an expansion of its junior squad to 30 places before the start of the spring term in October. The club’s board is set to decide on the plan at its next meeting on 28 July, Tiley said. “The buzz around Cruz has been incredible, but we need to make sure we can still give every kid a proper hitting session,” he told The Daily Canberra.

For local high schoolers hoping to follow in Hewitt’s footsteps, the path starts with a tryout. The Lyneham program holds its next assessment day at 19 Gungahlin Drive this Saturday at 10 a.m.

“We’ve already fielded calls from parents in Belconnen and Tuggeranong,” Tiley said. “If the numbers keep up, we may have to look at a second location next year.”