Hewitt's doubles return with son ends in Sydney quarters
On Sydney's hard courts, Lleyton Hewitt and his son Cruz blend veteran savvy with youthful fire in a challenger doubles run, pushing through an early rout before a quarterfinal clash reveals the fine margins of family tennis.
SYDNEY -- The New South Wales Open challenger courts pulsed with a mix of nostalgia and anticipation this week, as two-time Grand Slam singles champion Lleyton Hewitt, at 44, dusted off his racquet for a doubles comeback alongside his 16-year-old son Cruz. The former No. 1, who captured the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002 before retiring from singles in 2016, paired his tactical depth with Cruz's raw energy on the fast acrylic surface. Australia's Davis Cup captain, father to three children with former actress Bec Hewitt, turned this event into a personal proving ground, where backyard lessons met pro-level pressure under the autumn sun.
Early rout builds quiet sync
The father-son duo hit the ground running Wednesday, overwhelming Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov 6-1, 6-0 in a match that showcased seamless coordination. Lleyton directed from the baseline with crosscourt feeds that pinned the opponents deep, while Cruz pounced at net, snapping down-the-line volleys on the skidding hard court. Floodlights sharpened the edges of every rally, easing the initial tension of Hewitt's return and highlighting the psychological lift from their lopsided win, a nod to the drills that honed Cruz's instincts amid Hewitt's scouting travels.
This dominance felt like a family milestone, blending Hewitt's experience against the younger pair's modest rankings into a one–two rhythm that controlled points from the first serve. The crowd's murmurs grew into cheers, sensing the deeper bond forming under the venue's steady hum, where Cruz's fresh legs covered alleys that Lleyton once patrolled alone.
Quarterfinal pressure cracks the edge
Thursday's quarterfinal against Dane Sweeny and Calum Puttergill shifted the tempo, ending in a 7-5, 6-4 defeat that exposed the duo's vulnerabilities on the lively surface. The Aussies, more attuned as partners, countered with deep returns and inside-out forehands that stretched the Hewitts' positioning, forcing Lleyton into defensive underspin lobs while Cruz chased wide angles. Each deuce thickened the air with crowd scrutiny, unforced errors surfacing as Sweeny's baseline grind tested the son's inexperience and the father's endurance after years away.
Puttergill's sliced volleys skidded low, disrupting Cruz's poaches and turning harmonious exchanges into scrambles, especially when the score knotted at 5-5 in the opener. Hewitt varied his serves with inside-in seconds to jam returns, but the court's low bounce hampered aggressive replies, amplifying the emotional weight of legacy—guiding without overshadowing—as the Sydney faithful leaned in, feeling the match's mounting strain.
Surface insights fuel ongoing growth
Beyond the scoreboard, the run illuminated hard-court demands in doubles, where precision in 1–2 patterns and net coverage rewarded the Hewitts' early sync but demanded sharper adjustments against cohesive foes. Lleyton's veteran pivots elevated Cruz's potential, turning potential gaps into teachable moments on a surface that favors quick decisions and deep returns. As the tournament folded into Sydney's harbor rhythm, this quarterfinal pivot promises richer chapters, with the pair eyeing varied draws to refine their blend of grit and promise in Australia's tennis pulse.
