Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt marked a successful comeback to the tennis scene after an almost six-year retirement by teaming up with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, to secure an impressive victory. The father-son pair dominated their opponents, Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov, with a swift 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 duo capitalized on the opportunity. Hewitt, sporting his trademark backward cap, and his son displayed a solid performance by saving all four break points they encountered, swiftly progressing to the quarter-finals.
Having last played singles in 2016 and officially retiring from doubles at the 2020 Australian Open, Hewitt showcased no signs of rustiness during Wednesday’s game. The 44-year-old exhibited a composed demeanor on the Ken Rosewall Arena, sealing the victory with a decisive net winner.
Post-retirement, Hewitt has remained active in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team, actively supporting his son Cruz as he forges his own path in the sport. Cruz, a budding talent, has participated in junior Grand Slam tournaments and is making strides in the Challenger circuit.
Despite a minor disagreement with his father during the Wimbledon boys’ singles event earlier this year, where he suffered a defeat in the second round, Cruz has shown progress at the Challenger level. Recently, he achieved his first Challenger level win in Brisbane, defeating world No. 192 James McCabe before bowing out to Wu Tung-lin in a competitive match.
Currently ranked at a career-high of No. 759, Cruz Hewitt demonstrated his potential by securing victories in Brisbane before joining forces with his father in the doubles event. The duo advanced to the quarter-finals and is scheduled to face another Australian pair, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming match.