Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt has made a remarkable comeback to the tennis scene following a nearly six-year retirement. Hewitt joined forces with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, to achieve an impressive victory. The duo outplayed Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, securing a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win in just 48 minutes.
Given a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a Challenger event held in Sydney, the father-son pair seized the opportunity with finesse. Hewitt, donning his signature backward cap, and his son successfully defended against all four break points they encountered, swiftly advancing to the quarter-finals.
Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam champion, concluded his singles career in 2016 but only retired from doubles competition post the 2020 Australian Open. Despite the hiatus, his performance in Wednesday’s match at the Ken Rosewall Arena showcased no signs of rustiness, with the 44-year-old displaying comfort and skill, ultimately sealing the victory with a net winner.
Post his retirement, Hewitt continued his involvement in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, actively supporting his son Cruz as the young talent carves his own path in the sport. Cruz, having participated in junior Grand Slam tournaments, is now establishing himself in the Challenger circuit.
Earlier this year, Cruz competed in the Wimbledon boys’ singles event, where he had a minor disagreement with his father, who was observing from the stands. Despite a strong start with a win in the opening match, the teenager faced a defeat of 6-3, 6-0 to Oskari Paldanius in the subsequent round.
Presently ranked at No. 759 globally, Cruz Hewitt expressed frustration during the match, accusing his father of playing to the cameras and disregarding his advice. Despite such on-court challenges, Cruz has been making strides at the Challenger level, notably securing his first victory in Brisbane against James McCabe before bowing out to Wu Tung-lin in a three-set match.
Continuing his momentum, Cruz claimed another singles win in Brisbane before exiting in the second round. With a current career-high ranking of No. 759, Cruz faced and defeated compatriot Omar Jasika, followed by a competitive loss to Matsuoka Hayato, before partnering with his father to advance to the doubles quarter-finals.
Their next match will see them competing against another Australian duo, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in an exciting showdown.