Rafter’s advice for Cruz Hewitt in ‘shocking’ sport he’s glad to escape

Exclusive: Pat Rafter is a man acquainted with pressure.

Having famously held the world No.1 ranking for the shortest period in ATP history - one week - the Australian tennis legend understands the brutal mental toll of the sport.

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Rafter opened up about the rising career of youngster Cruz Hewitt, who recently lost in an all-Australian match up against world No.6 Alex De Minaur and why he thinks the 17-year-old will be at the Australian Open.

“I’m really happy. I didn’t think Cruz was going to win his first one, so I was very excited for him. I don’t know him that well,” Rafter told nine.com.au.

“But all reports, he’s a good kid... he’s obviously got passion. He’s had to go through a lot of things too. I mean, it’s hard being Lleyton Hewitt’s son.

“It’s not his fault, it’s not Lleyton’s fault, it’s just what it is.

“He’s 17 years old. Let’s see what happens in the next four years. It’ll take him a little while. He’s going to be spoken about. You’re going to think he’s a brat sometimes, you’re going to think he’s the best sometimes. That’s just growing up.

“I’m sure he’s good because deep down he’s a good kid. So he’ll be fine.”

Rafter had no doubt that Hewitt would be handed a wildcard for his home grand slam and be on his way to stardom. He also fiercely dismissed the idea that Hewitt’s opportunities are unearned.

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“He’ll play the AO, absolutely. He’s just proven that he can play. And we don’t have any juniors coming through. And there’s a very good chance he’ll get a wildcard,” Rafter admitted.

“I mean, I don’t know who’s asking, but I would imagine… I don’t even know who’s coming through. Seriously, that’s how detached I am.

“You can call him a ‘nepo baby’ or whatever you want, but he has to do it himself, and he’s done it himself.

“He’s not nepo. He’s doing it.”

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Rafter was blunt in his admission that he doesn’t miss the professional tennis tour.

Having largely detached himself from the sport’s current pipeline, Rafter has instead shifted his focus to promote padel in Australia, including the Padel Invitational in August, set on the backdrop of the Sydney Opera House.

Looking back, Rafter described the isolation of singles tennis as intimidating, saying he’s deeply relieved to have escaped the era of constant scrutiny.

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“I know it’s shocking - it’s just a shocking bloody sport as it is. Stuck out there exposed,” he reflected.

“Someone asked me, ‘Why’d you do it?’ I said, ‘I have no idea why I did it.’ I had the right temperament for it, obviously, but I don’t know who has the right temperament.

“I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just doing it because I loved it. And when I cried every weekend, cheating… playing five matches a day every weekend, and why you go through all this turmoil, then you back it up the next week and do it all again.

“Is that the definition of stupidity? Or is that the definition of resilience?

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“I got no idea what it is.”

When asked about the intense level of pressure and surveillance that today’s top players face on social media, Rafter joked and said he wouldn’t last a day.

“Oh, I wouldn’t survive! I’d be in jail,” Rafter laughed.

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“No, we had so much fun. Me, a kid on tour - you signed a couple of autographs, you went out, you misbehaved and people looked at you and laughed. They said, ‘what an idiot’ and that was the end of the story.

“Now, you’re documented, everything you do. What a world, I’m so glad I’m out of it.”

The Padel Invitational will take place between August 15 - 16.

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