Vintage Hewitt Performance Stuns Sydney Crowd
Aussie tennis icon Lleyton Hewitt turned back the clock in a spectacular fashion on Wednesday night, teaming up with his teenage son Cruz for a dominant doubles victory at the NSW Open. The father-son duo delivered a masterclass, demolishing fellow Australians Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov with a decisive 6-1, 6-0 scoreline.
Father-Son Duo Makes Light Work of Opponents
The match at Ken Rosewall Arena was over in a swift 46 minutes, but the packed crowd was treated to a display of pure tennis brilliance. The 44-year-old former world number one showed he hasn't lost his trademark competitive fire, while Cruz, who turns 17 next month, proved the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. The younger Hewitt brought the crowd to its feet with a stunning vintage passing shot down the line, prompting a proud and audible "Shot, mant!" from his famous father.
Lleyton Hewitt, who first retired back in 2016, shared his joy after the match. "It was a lot of fun," he said. "Obviously a little bit unknown coming out here today, and it’s nice coming back on this court. I’ve had a lot of special memories and this is right up there." He expressed his gratitude for the rare opportunity, adding, "It’s something that I don’t think many fathers get the chance to do, so to be able to come out and him obviously being good enough at this level now is pretty impressive at his age."
Australian Open Wildcard Calls Begin
The Hewitts' commanding performance has immediately sparked speculation among tennis fans. Following the match, social media was abuzz with calls for the pair to receive a wildcard entry into the Australian Open. One fan wrote, "Lleyton + Cruz Hewitt is the doubles pair we needed. Hope they play at AO26," while another questioned, "Anyone thinking an Australian Open doubles wildcard could come to Lleyton Hewitt and Cruz if things continue to go well?"
The victory sets up a quarter-final clash for the Hewitts against the team of Calum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny, scheduled for later on Thursday. This marks a significant return for Lleyton, Australia's current Davis Cup captain, who was tempted back to the competitive court to partner with his rising son after watching his development from the sidelines.
