Cruz Hewitt has suffered heartbreak as he tried to follow in the celebrated footsteps of his father at Wimbledon, losing in a tight final of the boys’ tournament 24 years after Lleyton won the senior men’s event.

It was an agonising loss for the 17-year-old Sydney prospect Hewitt, who had been urged on by his dad on No.1 Court but fell just short after he had led 4-2 in the final set against talented young American prospect Jordan Lee on Sunday’s final day of the program.

Hewitt had looked on the verge of becoming Australia’s first winner of the junior men’s tournament for 15 years since Luke Saville.

But qualifier Lee, at 16 the youngest boy in the event, roared back, coming also from a set down in a thrilling rollercoaster contest 4-6 6-4 7-5.

Cruz’s disappointment after the two-hour three-minute final was palpable as his parents Lleyton and Bec, and coaching team, in his players’ box, tried to encourage and console him afterwards, reminding him he had enjoyed a fantastic tournament, one in which he hadn’t dropped a set until the final.

The youngster showed considerable maturity in the way he handled his disappointment and, confirming he had probably played his last junior match now, he plans to concentrate on the senior pro ranks and hopes to be back in the senior men’s draw, both at Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

“Yeah, that would definitely be one of one of my big goals long-term,” he said, when asked if he hopes to back playing in the Wimbledon event which his father won in 2002.

“I’d have to get my ranking up a little bit, but with a whole lot of hard work, it’s possible. I look forward to definitely coming back in the future for the men’s.”

Both he and Lee, who only turned 16 in May, looked like stars of the future as they locked into a tremendous battle but in the denouement, the lad from Florida proved the stronger as, serving to stay in the match a second time, Cruz double-faulted en route to being broken to love.

Ultimately, Cruz suffered the same fate as the last Australian boy to have made the final here. Alex de Minaur lost in the 2016 championship match but has since gone on to become one of the world’s top six players.

De Minaur had been hitting with the teenager over the week, while British break-out star, semi-finalist Arthur Fery, also practised with the youngster in what Cruz accepted at the presentation on court afterwards had been a great experience.

“It’s been a very special week for me, I’ve played some really good tennis,” he told the crowd.

“I grew up around this tournament, seeing my dad play here and it’s a privilege playing on any court here. It’s been a really good atmosphere all week.

“I feel like people this week maybe have seen how well I can play. Obviously, it’s disappointing to lose the final, but I think it’s a really good week.

“Definitely had some good memories at Wimbledon. I wish I could have won today’s match, but no it’s still a good memory, it’s been fun.”

Hewitt has already spoken during his run of Wimbledon being his only tilt back in the juniors this year as he focuses on men’s tennis.

He has been a regular on the third-tier ITF circuit already, with some excursions into the second-tier ATP Challenger — including in the lead-up to Wimbledon.

Currently ranked world No.606, Hewitt nabbed the second-best win of his career last month when he defeated world No.229 Edas Butvilas 3-6 6-4 6-4 at a grass-court Challenger event.

His ranking is sure to rise again when he returns to the ITF and ATP tours as he showcased an impressive, attacking game which only really came up short because his opponent Lee looks as if he could be something special.

Hewitt hopes Australian Open organisers could end up furnishing him with a wildcard next season.

“That would be the dream,” he said.

“And that’s a big goal of mine — and I feel like I can show my level.”

— with 7NEWS