It’s been a lifetime exposed to top-level tennis for Cruz, who only recently turned 16 and played in last year’s Australian Open boys’ event. On Saturday he had an hour-long hit-up with world No.1 and defending Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner on Rod Laver Arena. Grandparents Glynn and Cherilyn Hewitt proudly watched on from the stands.

Cruz, ranked in the 1200s and with just six ATP rankings points, has been given a spot in the qualifying event along with countrymen including Marc Polmans (the world No.321) and another promising junior, 18-year-old Hayden Jones (the world No.968). Former junior star Bernard Tomic has also improved his ranking to be front and centre among the players righting it out for the main draw. Cruz has a potentially tough opener, too, drawing Nikoloz Basilashvili, a former world No.16.

Masur and Peter Johnston, a former pro and highly experienced tennis administrator, have backed the call to give Cruz a qualifying wildcard.

“The premise of a wildcard is to give an emerging player an opportunity at another level, to see how they go basically,” said Masur.

It’s an “all upside” scenario, says Johnston.

“He’ll go out and embrace it, and just relish the opportunity,” he said. “I think it’s fantastic and, hey, ‘what’s to lose’. It’s just another step.”

Cruz has been a mainstay around the country’s Davis Cup teams, captained by his father, and has readily been exposed to high-level talent including the country’s current best player, Alex de Minaur.

While Cruz has grown up in Sydney, Melbourne is hardly a foreign environment. He has spent time in the city under the tutelage of former tour professional John McCurdy, the club captain at Royal South Yarra and a Tennis Australia high-performance coach.

Currently, he’s coached by former tour pro Peter Luczak, who guided Lleyton in the final few years of his professional career until 2016. The teen’s influences also include Jaymon Crabb, Australia’s Olympic coach at Tokyo 2020.

Cruz’s training time with McCurdy began when he was a promising kid who had barely even entered teenagehood.

Johnston, a former doubles partner of McCurdy, who has watched Cruz during his Melbourne training sessions, remembers the youngster’s work ethic and sheer enthusiasm.

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Crucially, Johnston says, the team around Cruz are firmly focused on the long-term, building his game “brick by brick”.

“I saw him a lot in those Covid times [in Melbourne]. He was only 11 or 12 years of age then,” Johnston said.

“But he just loves the game. He just loves being around the courts, he embraces the whole thing.

“For someone of his age he’s destined for a huge future, but also he can’t miss really because he’s got the drive, he’s got the hunger, but he’s also got the [right] network around him.

“They know where the emphasis is – it’s not about the juniors, it’s about the marathon.

“I think we can fasten our seat belt and look forward to the next 15 years really.

“One thing I know (John) McCurdy has been working a bit on, and the whole team – really building a heavy serve to take advantage of his height.

“But he’s just got this forehand that is just gorgeous. He’s quick.

“He [John] is right into making sure he’s a great volleyer. But they’re certainly building it [his game] brick by brick.”

“He just loves the game. He just loves being around the courts, he embraces the whole thing … Also he can’t miss really because he’s got the drive, he’s got the hunger, but he’s also got the network around him.”

Former pro Peter Johnston

As for the inevitable expectations around the son of a gun, Lleyton said the pressure had been ever-present since Cruz – who as a toddler once hit up balls with Roger Federer during a charity event on Melbourne Park’s centre court – first picked up a racquet.

“He’s got to enjoy it as much as possible and make it fun. He’s doing great so far,” Lleyton said last month.

“It’s good that he gets to hang out with a lot of his idols as well – guys like Alex de Minaur, who he can look up to and get to hit with. It’s pretty special.”