Former world No. 1, Lleyton Hewitt, marked his return to the tennis scene after an almost six-year hiatus by teaming up with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, in a remarkable victory. The father-son duo dominated their opponents, Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, with a swift 6-1, 6-0 win in just under 48 minutes.
Given a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open tournament in Sydney, Hewitt and Cruz seized the opportunity, showcasing their skills on the court. Hewitt, recognized for his trademark backward cap, alongside his son, successfully defended all four break points they encountered, securing a spot in the quarter-finals in impressive fashion.
Despite his retirement from singles play in 2016 and doubles in 2020 at the Australian Open, Hewitt demonstrated no signs of rustiness during the recent match. The 44-year-old, at ease on the Ken Rosewall Arena, sealed the victory with a decisive net winner.
Post-retirement, Hewitt has been actively engaged in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, frequently seen supporting his son, Cruz, who is making strides in his own tennis career. Cruz has participated in junior Grand Slam events and is starting to leave his mark on the Challenger circuit.
In an earlier event this year at Wimbledon, Cruz faced a setback in the boys’ singles competition, where an interaction with his father garnered attention. The young player, currently ranked at No. 759 globally, expressed frustration with his father’s advice, highlighting moments of tension during the match.
Despite encountering challenges, including a recent loss in the men’s Australian Open qualifying round, Cruz has shown progress at the Challenger level. Recently, Cruz claimed his first Challenger-level victory in Brisbane against James McCabe before a close defeat to Wu Tung-lin in three sets.
With an enhanced ranking of No. 759, Cruz continued to compete in Brisbane, securing another singles win before exiting in the second round. He faced a tough battle against Matsuoka Hayato, leading to his eventual defeat. Cruz then joined forces with his father for the doubles event, advancing to the quarter-finals.
Their next match is set against an all-Australian duo, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming event.