Lleyton Hewitt, a former world No. 1 in tennis, returned to the sport triumphantly after almost six years of retirement. Hewitt teamed up with his 16-year-old son, Cruz, for a remarkable win, defeating Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov 6-1, 6-0 in just 48 minutes.
The father-son duo received a wildcard entry into the main draw of the NSW Open, a Challenger event in Sydney, and they made the most of it. Hewitt, known for his signature backward cap, and his son showcased their skills by saving all four break points they encountered, swiftly securing a spot in the quarter-finals.
Although Hewitt’s last singles match was in 2016, he officially retired from doubles only in the 2020 Australian Open. However, there was no hint of rustiness in his performance as he appeared comfortable on the Ken Rosewall Arena, sealing the victory with a winning shot at the net.
Post-retirement, Hewitt has stayed active in tennis as the captain of Australia’s Davis Cup team and has been actively supporting his son, Cruz, who is making strides in his own tennis career. Cruz, a promising young talent, has participated in junior Grand Slam tournaments and is starting to leave his mark on the Challenger circuit.
Despite facing some setbacks on the court, including a first-round exit in this year’s men’s Australian Open qualifying, Cruz has been showing progress at the Challenger level in recent competitions. Most notably, he achieved his first Challenger level victory in Brisbane by defeating James McCabe, ranked 192nd globally, before falling to Wu Tung-lin in a hard-fought match.
Currently ranked at a career-high of No. 759 in the world, Cruz triumphed over compatriot Omar Jasika and then faced a tough defeat against Matsuoka Hayato before teaming up with his father for a successful run in the doubles competition, advancing to the quarter-finals.
Their next challenge will be against another Australian duo, Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, in the upcoming match.