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Wimbledon boys champion Lee inspired by World Cup star Yamal

tennis12 July 2026 19:05| Β© AFP
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Jordan Lee Β© Gallo Images

Jordan Lee revealed his Wimbledon boys' final victory over Cruz Hewitt on Sunday was inspired by Spain World Cup star Lamine Yamal.

American teenager Lee bears a striking resemblance to Yamal and he said the Barcelona forward's meteoric rise was motivation for his triumph at the All England Club.

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Yamal, 18, has helped Spain reach the World Cup semifinal against France on Tuesday after playing a key role in Barcelona's LaLiga title win last season.

After beating Hewitt 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 on Court One, the 16-year-old Lee said: "He's to be honest, an inspiration to me. The guy's incredible at what he does.

"He's young, as well, so I kind of look up to him in a way."

Lee was the youngest player in the boys' tournament, but he recovered from a nervous start in the final to show why many have tipped him for future stardom.

"I had a very serious wrist injury that kept me out for like seven months. Yeah, it was a really tough time because I was seeing everyone play," he said.

"I knew once I started playing and got healthy, my level was there to win a slam and I did."

Hewitt, 17, was supported by his father Lleyton – who won Wimbledon in 2002 – and he hopes to one day emulate his father by getting his hands on a Wimbledon trophy.

"That's definitely one of my big goals, long term, after my ranking has got up a little bit, but I think with a lot of hard work, it's possible," he said.

"I look forward to definitely and hopefully coming back in the future for the men's draw," he added.

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