Lleyton Hewitt comes out of retirement to play doubles with Cruz at ATP Challenger in Sydney

Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt is coming out of retirement to play doubles with son Cruz in an ATP Challenger event this week.

Cruz, who turns 17 next month, is making his way in the professional ranks and notched his first singles win on the second-tier tour last week in Brisbane.

He will have another crack in Sydney on Tuesday — before attention turns to the father-son doubles pairing in a big week for the family.

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Lleyton, 44, celebrated his induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in Melbourne on Monday night for his feats at the turn of the century and beyond.

But a plan hatched before the black-tie event has now come to fruition.

Lleyton appeared alongside Cruz in the official draw on Monday as a wildcard entry to face another all-Aussie duo in Hayden Jones and Pavle Marinkov.

Lleyton first retired in 2016 but he returned to the doubles circuit in 2018, also making sporadic appearances in 2019 before his last hurrah in the summer of 2020.

He played in his hometown Adelaide tournament and the Australian Open with Jordan Thompson, losing in the first round on both occasions.

Six years on, Lleyton — Australia’s Davis Cup captain — has been tempted back to team up with his son after watching his rise from the sidelines.

Lleyton in his usual position watching Cruz from the stands at Wimbledon this year. Credit: Supplied

Cruz will face Aussie veteran Omar Jasika in the first round of the singles tournament on Tuesday.

Lleyton’s comeback arrives after he revealed how close he came to leaving tennis to have a crack at his first sporting love.

By 2003, he had been world No.1 as well as winning the US Open and Wimbledon in 2001-02.

After his ‘03 Wimbledon title defence did not make it past the first round, and he lost the No.1 ranking, Hewitt contemplated what might come next.

Then Port Adelaide coach and family friend Mark Williams said a few years ago that Hewitt contacted him about potentially switching sports, but the tennis star says the Power coach made the approach.

There was talk of Hewitt playing a pre-season game and potentially joining Port as a rookie-listed player.

Lleyton Hewitt played for the Crows in a legends charity match in 2002. Credit: AAP

Regardless of who was driving the idea, eventually it fizzled and Hewitt, a keen Adelaide supporter, did not have to consider joining the Crows’ fierce local-rivals.

“I grew up absolutely hating the Power, the Port Adelaide Magpies,” he said.

“But at the time, I was actually considering it. I didn’t love the contract and the money.

“He (Williams) ended up giving me a few weeks to think about it.”

The clincher was Hewitt rallying from from two sets down to beat Swiss great Federer in an epic ‘03 Davis Cup semi-final. There would be no defection.

“It was one of my greatest victories and I called Choco (Williams) and said ‘no’,” Hewitt said.

– with AAP