Cruz Hewitt, the teenage son of tennis great Lleyton Hewitt, is on a remarkable journey as he pursues a grand slam debut. At just 16 years old, he has received a wildcard for the Australian Open qualifying tournament, aiming to follow in his father's footsteps. His father made his grand slam debut at Melbourne Park as a 15-year-old, and now Cruz is looking to etch his name in the history books.

"Cruz Hewitt's Quest for Tennis Glory"

Junior Tennis and First Appearance

The junior world number 107 made his debut in the junior competition last year but was unfortunately knocked out in the first round. This experience has only fueled his determination to improve and make a mark on the senior tennis stage.In 2025, Cruz is expected to feature in the junior tournament again, continuing to build his skills and confidence. His father's success as a young wildcard in 1997 serves as an inspiration, and Cruz is taking it in his stride.

Comparisons to Father Lleyton

As Cruz's career develops, the comparisons to his father Lleyton are inevitable. But Cruz is handling it with grace. "It is what it is, but I don't really mind," he said at this month's Newcombe Medal. "It just drives me to be better."His father understands the situation and offers words of encouragement. "Oh, they've already been there — ever since he picked up a racquet. He's just got to enjoy it as much as possible and make it fun. He's been doing great so far."

Wildcards and Other Players

Among the 10 Australian men given wildcards for qualifying is 32-year-old Bernard Tomic, who is eyeing his first main draw appearance in four years after previously making the fourth round three times. Omar Jasika has received a main draw wildcard for his red-hot run of ITF form.In the women's qualifying, world number 113 Kimberly Birrell headlines 13 Australian women. Players like Maddison Inglis, Arina Rodionova, Priscilla Hon, Taylah Preston, and Destanee Aiava will also push to reach the main draw.

Former World Number One Simona Halep's Comeback

Former world number one Simona Halep, 33, has also been awarded a qualifying wildcard as she steps up her comeback. She was the runner-up at Melbourne Park in 2018 and won major titles at the French Open later that year and at Wimbledon in 2019.However, her career stalled due to a doping ban that was reduced on appeal this year. Her ranking of 877, due to her missing over a year-and-a-half of tournament play, was too low to earn direct entry into qualifying, making the wildcard all the more significant."The thought of returning to Australia after three years is exciting and I'm very grateful to the tournament for this opportunity," Halep said on ausopen.com. "I have been working hard to get ready for the 2025 season. The Australian Open has provided me with some of the best moments in my career, so I can't wait to be back in Melbourne and playing in front of the Aussie fans."ABC Sport will be blogging the Australian summer of tennis from December 27, bringing you all the latest updates and stories from the court.