by Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

Andy Roddick called it “one of the best junior matches I’ve ever seen.”

It was the Wimbledon junior boys final between Jordan Lee of the United States and Lleyton Hewitt’s son Cruz Hewitt that was won by Lee by a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 margin.

The win by the 16-year-old Lee, who only got into the junior field at the All England Club via the qualifying rounds, received considerable attention and received a significant conversation by Roddick on his famed “Served” podcast.

Roddick praised Lee on the podcast saying he is “a prospect with which we haven’t had in a long time” but also halted himself for going too far about Lee and not to overhype him. Roddick talked about being ambivalent about talking about junior players too much and urged people to “give him some space” and not label him as “the next” as many pundits like to do when they see junior players have strong results.

“I am hesitant to mention prospects because I think there’s a thirst for an American male that is sometimes out of control,” Roddick cautioned. “I’m not gonna be the only one talking about this kid…I’ve watched him, the kid is so legit, he can move, he can run.”

“Let’s not be in a hurry with the Thirst Olympics,” Roddick continued. “He will have that whether or not we create that hype mechanism or not, he’ll be fine.”

Lee was not on many people’s radar’s prior to his Wimbledon junior win, but now is the current talk of American junior tennis. A review of his final-round win over Hewitt can be read here https://worldtennismagazine.com/american-jordan-lee-16-beats-lleyton-hewitts-son-cruz-in-comeback-win-for-wimbledon-junior-boys-singles-title/28388  In addition to Lee, there are two other top American teenage prospects in his age division Michael Antonius and Andrew Johnson, both of whom won pro tournaments on the USTA Pro Circuit this year, the youngest to win on that leve of pro tennis since Carlos Alcaraz in 2019.

To listen to “Served” click here https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/served-with-andy-roddick/id1727790717?i=1000776734810&r=1728

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