The things you do for love. Lleyton Hewitt knows it all too well! The two-time Grand Slam singles champion who hung up his racket nine years ago in 2016, has since stayed close to the game. He’s taken charge as Australia’s Davis Cup Captain and made a few public appearances, including at prestigious moments like his induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. But what about coming back to compete?

Seems like that day is here! edgeAI on X tweeted Wednesday that the Aussie legend and his 16-year-old son are warming up for his first professional match since the 2016 Australian Open. They wrote, “The 44-year-old is teaming up with his 16-year-old son Cruz Hewitt, in doubles at the Sydney Challenger. They’re facing 19-year-old wild cards Hayden Jones & Pavle Marinkov.” Exciting, right?

Lleyton Hewitt once ruled the rankings at No. 1. He captured the US Open in 2001, triumphed at Wimbledon in 2002, and piled up 30 tour titles across a fierce, gritty career. In the end, he walked away from the sport because of persistent injuries and the brutal physical demands of life on tour.

Throughout his time on tour, Hewitt battled a catalogue of injuries that tested his limits. His hip, ankle, foot, and shoulder all took heavy hits over the years. The setbacks were constant. Some forced long breaks. Others led to last-minute withdrawals that frustrated both him and his fans. By 2016, the surgeries and the endless rehab had caught up with him. The toll was clear.

Cruz, on the other hand, is just finding his rhythm on the professional circuit. Ranked No. 759 in singles and No. 881 in doubles, he’s been putting in the work across a string of Challengers this season. Before Sydney, he competed at the Brisbane 3 event, where he fought his way to the round of 16. His best runs so far came at the M25 Launceston, where he reached the finals, and at the M25 Brisbane, where he advanced to the semifinals. Each tournament has been a step forward, adding layers to his growing game.

Hewitt has always backed Cruz’s tennis journey with pride. Now, he’s looking forward to sharing the court with him too.

Lleyton Hewitt is hyped to play doubles with his son

Despite being out of practice since 2020, the former world No. 1 showed zero signs of rust as he and his 16-year-old son rattled off 11 straight games from 1-1 in the first set, dominating another Australian duo, Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov. Their win was a statement: the Hewitts are a force.

“It’s obviously something pretty unique and special. 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,” Hewitt told Tennis Australia before their opener.

Additionally, Sydney is extra special for the Hewitts, which pushes them to compete, as Lleyton Hewitt pointed out:

“Sydney’s a pretty special place as well. Obviously Cruz was born there and we have a lot of family and friends in Sydney, but I won four Sydney International titles as well. I played the Olympics there in 2000 when I’d just come on the tour, and I also won the Tennis Masters Cup in Sydney in 2001 to get to world No.1.”

In their match against Jones and Marinkov, the duo flew on their serves, converting five of six break points and saving all four against them. Their next challenge: Callum Puttergill and Dane Sweeny on Thursday. Can they do it again?