After controversial comments on Lleyton Hewitt's son Cruz & Jannik Sinner, Nick Kyrgios reacts to Aussie exiting Australian Open

Nick Kyrgios has reacted to Lleyton Hewitt's son, Cruz, exiting the Australian Open juniors in the second round. Kyrgios’ recent comment comes just two weeks after he stirred controversy over the 16-year-old's interaction with Jannik Sinner during a practice session in Melbourne.

Kyrgios and Jannik Sinner have not been on good terms since the Italian's doping controversy came to light. Kyrgios criticized the leniency of the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), calling for stricter punishment.

Earlier in January, Cruz Hewitt was practicing on Rod Laver Arena and took the opportunity to snap some pictures on court with the Sinner. Hewitt later uploaded the pictures to Instagram. But just hours later, Kyrgios dropped a controversial comment that appeared to be a dig at the Italian.

"Love ya Cruz but this is wild 😢"

"Thought we were boys. Cooked post"

Hewitt competed in the qualifiers of the Australian Open but lost in the first round to Nikoloz Basilashvili. Unable to secure a spot in the main draw, he went on to participate in the Australian Open boys' singles. He won his opening match against Kim Moobeen in the first round. However, on Monday, January 20, he was defeated by Jan Kumstát in the second round, 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).

The 16-year-old later took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a picture of himself. In the caption, he expressed his hopes of returning to Melbourne in the future.

"I’ll be back @australianopen 👀🔥 @nike @yonex_com.”

Kyrgios left a cryptic comment on the post, sharing a 007 meme featuring James Bond actor Daniel Craig emerging from a tunnel.

Nick Kyrgios's comment on Cruz Hewitt's post

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The 2025 Australian Open was Nick Kyrgios' first Grand Slam appearance since 2022

Nick Kyrgios at the 2025 Australian Open - Source: Getty

Having participated in only one ATP match since the 2022 US Open, Nick Kyrgios made his long-awaited return to the tennis court after fully recovering from knee and wrist injuries. The 2025 Australian Open marked his first Grand Slam appearance since his recovery.

Kyrgios began his season at the 2025 Brisbane International but was eliminated in the first round after a loss to Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. In the doubles category, he partnered with Novak Djokovic, and the duo defeated Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies in their opening match. However, their run ended in the second round, where they were defeated by Nikola Mektić and Michael Venus.

At the Australian Open, Kyrgios faced Jacob Fearnley in the singles draw but fell to the Brit, losing 7-6(3), 6-3, 7-6(2). In doubles, he reunited with his 2022 Australian Open-winning partner, Thanasi Kokkinakis, but they were unable to progress beyond the first round.