The Winston-Salem Open has received a major boost ahead of the US Open, with former world No. 3 Stefanos Tsitsipas and Australian teenager Cruz Hewitt awarded wild cards for the ATP 250 tournament.
The pair arrive in North Carolina with very different goals. Tsitsipas will be looking to build on a recent return to winning form, while 17-year-old Hewitt continues his rapid rise after making a breakthrough on the ATP Tour last month.
Tsitsipas heads into the tournament with renewed confidence after ending a 16-month wait for an ATP title in Gstaad. The Greek, who has previously reached No. 3 in the world rankings, has been working to rediscover his best form after slipping down the rankings.
His victory in Switzerland provided an important boost and could give him valuable momentum ahead of the final Grand Slam of the season. The Winston-Salem Open will mark Tsitsipas' second appearance at the tournament, giving him another opportunity to sharpen his game and build confidence before heading to New York.
Source: Tennis Temple
Hewitt, meanwhile, arrives as one of the most intriguing young players on the ATP Tour. The son of Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt, the 17-year-old made his first ATP Tour main-draw appearance in Washington last month after successfully coming through qualifying.
He immediately made an impression by defeating Marcos Giron for his first tour-level victory. Hewitt then celebrated by recreating his father's famous fist-pump celebration, creating a memorable moment that quickly attracted attention online.
The teenager followed that breakthrough by reaching the second round, where he faced fellow Australian and mentor Alex de Minaur. Now ranked 19th in the ATP Live Next Gen Race, Hewitt will have another opportunity to test himself against established tour players when he makes his Winston-Salem debut.
The tournament will feature plenty of other notable names, with Luciano Darderi, Arthur Fery and Denis Shapovalov also confirmed to compete.
With the main draw scheduled for August 23 to 29 in Winston-Salem, the tournament provides both established contenders and rising talents with a final chance to build momentum before the US Open.
For Tsitsipas, the priority will be to carry the confidence from his Gstaad triumph into another competitive week. For Hewitt, the tournament represents another important step in what is quickly becoming an exciting start to his professional career.
