Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt marked a spectacular comeback to the tennis scene after an absence of almost six years by partnering with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, in a remarkable match. The father-son duo delivered a dominant performance against Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, triumphing with a swift 6-1, 6-0 victory in just under 48 minutes.
Given a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a Challenger tournament held in Sydney, Hewitt and Cruz displayed exceptional form. Hewitt, recognized by his signature backward cap, and his son successfully defended against all four break points they encountered, swiftly advancing to the quarter-finals.
Although Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam titleholder, had concluded his singles career in 2016, his retirement from doubles only came at the 2020 Australian Open. Despite the hiatus, his performance on Wednesday exuded confidence and skill, as the 44-year-old exhibited a composed demeanor on the Ken Rosewall Arena, securing victory with a decisive net winner.
Post-retirement, Hewitt has maintained his connection to tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, actively supporting his son Cruz as he pursues his own tennis career. Cruz, an emerging talent, has participated in junior Grand Slam events and is progressively making a name for himself in the Challenger circuit.
In a recent Wimbledon boys’ singles competition, Cruz encountered a minor disagreement with his father, who was observing from the stands. Despite a win in the initial match, Cruz faced a 6-3, 6-0 loss to Oskari Paldanius in the subsequent round.
Cruz Hewitt, the current world No. 759, expressed frustration towards his father during a match, attributing it to his perception of being overly conscious of the cameras and disregarding advice. Notably, he vocalized his discontent during the game, emphasizing his competitive spirit.
While facing challenges on the tennis court, including an early exit from the men’s Australian Open qualifying rounds this year, Cruz has showcased progress at the Challenger level in recent competitions. Achieving his first Challenger-level victory in Brisbane against world No. 192 James McCabe, Cruz displayed promising performance before falling to Wu Tung-lin in a three-set match.
Continuing his momentum, Cruz secured another singles win in Brisbane before exiting in the second round. Positioned at a career-high ranking of No. 759, he overcame fellow Australian Omar Jasika and later suffered a narrow defeat to Matsuoka Hayato before partnering with his father for a successful doubles run to the quarter-finals.
Their next challenge awaits as they are scheduled to compete against another all-Australian duo, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming match.
