{"id":291577,"date":"2025-11-18T01:53:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T01:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/291577\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T01:53:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T01:53:10","slug":"lleyton-hewitt-comes-out-of-retirement-to-play-doubles-with-cruz-at-atp-challenger-in-sydney","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/291577\/","title":{"rendered":"Lleyton Hewitt comes out of retirement to play doubles with Cruz at ATP Challenger in Sydney"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australian tennis<\/a> legend Lleyton Hewitt is coming out of retirement to play doubles with son Cruz in an ATP Challenger event this week.<\/p>\n

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<\/a> in Brisbane.<\/p>\n

He will have another crack in Sydney on Tuesday \u2014 before attention turns to the father-son doubles pairing in a big week for the family.<\/p>\n

Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

But a plan hatched before the black-tie event has now come to fruition.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

He played in his hometown Adelaide tournament and the Australian Open with Jordan Thompson, losing in the first round on both occasions.<\/p>\n

Six years on, Lleyton \u2014 Australia\u2019s Davis Cup captain \u2014 has been tempted back to team up with his son after watching his rise from the sidelines.<\/p>\n

\"LleytonLleyton in his usual position watching Cruz from the stands at Wimbledon this year. Credit: Supplied<\/p>\n

Cruz will face Aussie veteran Omar Jasika in the first round of the singles tournament on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Lleyton\u2019s comeback arrives after he revealed how close he came to leaving tennis to have a crack at his first sporting love.<\/p>\n

By 2003, he had been world No.1 as well as winning the US Open and Wimbledon in 2001-02.<\/p>\n

After his \u201803 Wimbledon title defence did not make it past the first round, and he lost the No.1 ranking, Hewitt contemplated what might come next.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

There was talk of Hewitt playing a pre-season game and potentially joining Port as a rookie-listed player.<\/p>\n

\"LleytonLleyton Hewitt played for the Crows in a legends charity match in 2002. Credit: AAP<\/p>\n

Regardless of who was driving the idea, eventually it fizzled and Hewitt, a keen Adelaide supporter, did not have to consider joining the Crows\u2019 fierce local-rivals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI grew up absolutely hating the Power, the Port Adelaide Magpies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut at the time, I was actually considering it. I didn\u2019t love the contract and the money.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe (Williams) ended up giving me a few weeks to think about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The clincher was Hewitt rallying from from two sets down to beat Swiss great Federer in an epic \u201803 Davis Cup semi-final. There would be no defection.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was one of my greatest victories and I called Choco (Williams) and said \u2018no\u2019,\u201d Hewitt said.<\/p>\n

– with AAP<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

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