Former world No. 1 in tennis, Lleyton Hewitt, marked a successful comeback to the sport after almost six years of retirement by partnering with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, to achieve a remarkable victory. The father-son duo dominated their match against Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, triumphing with a score of 6-1, 6-0 in just under an hour.
Securing a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a Challenger event held in Sydney, Hewitt and his son showcased their prowess. Wearing his signature backward cap, Hewitt, along with his son, skillfully defended against all four break points they encountered, swiftly advancing to the quarter-finals.
Having last competed in singles in 2016 and in doubles at the 2020 Australian Open, Hewitt displayed no signs of rustiness during the match, displaying comfort and skill on the Ken Rosewall Arena, ultimately securing victory with a decisive net winner.
Since retiring from professional play, Hewitt has stayed active in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team and avidly supports his son, Cruz, who is making strides in his own tennis career. Cruz, a rising talent, has participated in junior Grand Slam tournaments and is making a name for himself on the Challenger circuit.
Earlier this year, Cruz participated in the Wimbledon boys’ singles event, where he had a minor disagreement with his father, who was spectating from the stands. Despite a strong start with a win in his opening match, Cruz faced a defeat in the second round against Oskari Paldanius.
Ranked at No. 759 globally, Cruz Hewitt expressed frustration during a match, accusing his father of putting on a show for the cameras and disregarding his advice. Despite facing challenges, including a loss in the men’s Australian Open qualifying round, Cruz has shown progress at the Challenger level in recent competitions.
Recently, Cruz secured his first Challenger-level victory in Brisbane by defeating James McCabe, ranked world No. 192, before bowing out to Wu Tung-lin in a closely contested match. He continued his success with another singles victory in Brisbane before exiting in the second round.
Currently holding a career-high ranking of No. 759, Cruz Hewitt triumphed over fellow Australian Omar Jasika and then faced a tough defeat against Matsuoka Hayato, before teaming up with his father for the doubles event and advancing to the quarter-finals.
Their next challenge awaits as they are scheduled to compete against another Australian duo, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming match.