Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt marked a remarkable comeback to the world of tennis after an absence of close to six years, joining forces with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, for an impressive win. The father-son pair delivered a dominant performance, defeating Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov with a resounding 6-1, 6-0 victory in just under an hour.
Securing a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a prestigious Challenger tournament held in Sydney, the duo seized the opportunity with finesse. Hewitt, donning his signature backward cap, and his son displayed a solid performance by saving all four break points they encountered, swiftly advancing to the quarter-finals.
Although Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam titleholder, bid farewell to singles competition in 2016, he officially retired from doubles only at the 2020 Australian Open. However, in their recent match on Wednesday, the 44-year-old exhibited no signs of rustiness, showcasing a composed demeanor on the Ken Rosewall Arena and sealing the victory with a decisive net winner.
Post-retirement, Hewitt has continued his involvement in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, actively supporting his son Cruz, who is establishing his own career in the sport. Cruz, a rising talent, has participated in junior Grand Slam events and is making strides in the Challenger circuit.
In a recent development, Cruz Hewitt, currently ranked 759th in the world, voiced his discontent towards his father during a match, accusing him of playing up to the cameras and disregarding his advice. Despite facing setbacks, including an early exit in the men’s Australian Open qualifying rounds, Cruz has shown progress at the Challenger level in recent competitions.
Noteworthy achievements include his first Challenger-level victory in Brisbane over world No. 192 James McCabe, followed by a competitive three-set match against Wu Tung-lin. Cruz’s success continued with another singles win in Brisbane before exiting in the subsequent round.
With a career-high ranking of 759, Cruz triumphed over compatriot Omar Jasika but suffered a tight defeat to Matsuoka Hayato before teaming up with his father for an impressive run to the doubles quarter-finals. The duo is scheduled to face an all-Australian pair, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in their upcoming match.
