Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Lleyton Hewitt’s Comeback With Son Cruz Ends in 2025 New South Wales Open Quarterfinals as Father-Son Duo Delivers Rare Moment

Hewitt shares a meaningful Sydney stage with son Cruz before their doubles run ends.

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Lleyton Hewitt’s brief return to professional tennis alongside his 16-year-old son, Cruz, came to an end on Thursday. The pair exited the New South Wales Open Challenger quarterfinals with a 7-5, 6-4 loss to Australians Dane Sweeney and Calum Puttergill. The father-son duo had entered the event with a late wildcard and advanced with a dominant 6-1, 6-0 win on Wednesday. But their run closed as Sweeney and Puttergill applied steady pressure in key moments. For Hewitt, the match marked a rare competitive return since retiring from singles in 2016.

Two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt came out of retirement to play doubles with his 16 year-old son Cruz at the Sydney Challenger! 👨👦

They managed to reach the quarter-finals together 👏 pic.twitter.com/CJ8H0mgjDN
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) November 20, 2025

Father-Son Duo Sharing the Court in Sydney

The occasion carried deeper meaning for the former world No. 1, who won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon in 2002 before transitioning into his role as Australia’s Davis Cup captain. Hewitt spoke openly before the event about how meaningful it was to share the court with his son at this stage of his life and career.

“It’s obviously something pretty unique and special,” Hewitt told Tennis Australia. “It’s not too often [that the opportunity arises] and there probably will be a time where I won’t be good enough or physically able to play with him. And now he’s obviously stepped up to the mark and is good enough to play, so it sort of just crosses over nicely.”

A day they’ll never forget 🇦🇺✨

Lleyton Hewitt comes out of retirement to team up with his son Cruz as they cruise to a 6-1, 6-0 debut win in Sydney!#ATPChallenger | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/e00TkW15PE
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 19, 2025

The setting added another layer to the moment. Sydney has long been important to the Hewitt family. Cruz was born there, many relatives and friends live nearby, and Lleyton himself captured four Sydney International titles during his prime. Returning on a wildcard with his son, even briefly, allowed him to reconnect with a place tied closely to his personal and professional history.

Lleyton Hewitt still got it 🙌

The 44-year-old and his son Cruz put on a show in Sydney despite the loss#ATPChallenger | @TennisAustralia pic.twitter.com/2l8J6FGjWC
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) November 20, 2025

Cruz also competed in singles this week, defeating Omar Jasika in the opening round before falling to Hayato Matsuoka in the last 16. Although their doubles run ended earlier than they hoped, the week offered something larger than a semifinal berth. As father and son walked off court together on Thursday, the result mattered less than the rare shared chapter they created in front of a home crowd.

Mandatory Image Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Former world No. 1

Lleytpn Hewitt

New South Wales Challenger 2025

Son Cruz Hewitt

Two-Time Grand Slam Winner

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I’m an academic turned sports writer from Raipur, India, specializing in the NFL, MMA, and tennis at The Playoffs. I previously wrote for Sportskeeda and hold a B.A. and M.A. in History. My journey into sports media began far from the field, rooted in the arts and sciences. Funny enough, I didn’t grow up a sports fan; I used to see it all as just noise. But a fateful writing job introduced me to the world of sports, and what began as a gig quickly became a passion. I understood those voices aren’t noise; they’re emotions of true sports fans, and now I am one of them, writing with the same energy I once questioned.