Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt made a remarkable comeback to the tennis scene after a hiatus of almost six years, partnering with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, to secure an impressive win. The father-son duo dominated their match against Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, triumphing with a 6-1, 6-0 victory in just under an hour.
Given a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a Challenger tournament in Sydney, Hewitt and his son capitalized on the opportunity. With Hewitt sporting his signature backward cap, the duo successfully defended all four break points they encountered, swiftly advancing to the quarter-finals.
Hewitt, a former two-time Grand Slam champion, had last competed in singles in 2016 but formally retired from doubles at the 2020 Australian Open. Nevertheless, his performance in Wednesday’s match exhibited no signs of rustiness, as the 44-year-old displayed comfort and skill on the Ken Rosewall Arena, sealing the victory with a decisive net winner.
Since stepping back from professional play, Hewitt has stayed engaged in the tennis realm as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, actively supporting his son, Cruz, who is carving his own path in the sport. Cruz, at just 16, has participated in junior Grand Slam events and is establishing himself in the Challenger circuit.
Earlier this year, Cruz competed in the Wimbledon boys’ singles event, where he encountered a minor disagreement with his father, who was observing from the stands. Despite a strong start with a win in the opening match, Cruz faced a tough 6-3, 6-0 loss to Oskari Paldanius in the subsequent round.
Cruz Hewitt, presently ranked at No. 759 globally, expressed frustration toward his father during the match, accusing him of playing up to the cameras and disregarding his guidance, notably when trailing 0-3 in the second set. Despite the challenges faced, Cruz has shown progress at the Challenger level, notably securing his first victory in Brisbane against James McCabe before falling to Wu Tung-lin in a competitive three-set match.
Continuing his ascent, Cruz secured another singles win in Brisbane before exiting in the second round. With a career-high ranking of 759, Cruz defeated compatriot Omar Jasika before a narrow defeat to Matsuoka Hayato, subsequently teaming up with his father for the doubles event and advancing to the quarter-finals.
Their next challenge awaits in the form of an all-Australian pairing, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming match. This resurgence in the Hewitt tennis legacy showcases a promising future for the father-son duo on the court.