Hewitt Calls for Better Australian Tennis Pathways

Former No.1 Lleyton Hewitt says Australian tennis must improve how it develops young players as the country's top men's player sits at No.9.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Tennis

Hewitt Calls for Better Australian Tennis Pathways

Live Poll

Should Australia invest more in youth tennis development programs?

Lleyton Hewitt said Australian tennis needs to improve its development pathways, speaking in Melbourne on Friday 6 November 2026. Alex de Minaur is currently the only Australian man or woman ranked in the world's top 10, since Ash Barty retired in 2022.

Why it matters

Australia's competitive sports landscape makes it difficult to attract children to tennis, and the country's distance from the rest of the world adds further challenges for players. Tennis Australia's new chief executive, Andrew Abdo, has discussed development plans with Hewitt and others.

Alex de Minaur is ranked No.9 in the world, and no other Australian man or woman sits in the top 10. The specific programme changes that would address this gap have not yet been outlined.

The players

Lleyton Hewitt

A former world No.1 and 2005 Australian Open finalist who has become a prominent voice on the future of Australian tennis.

Alex de Minaur

Australia's highest-ranked men's player, currently ranked No.9 in the world, and the country's leading active tennis figure.

Andrew Abdo

The new chief executive of Tennis Australia, the national governing body responsible for the sport in the country.

Tennis Australia

The national governing body for tennis in Australia, which runs the Australian Open and oversees grassroots and elite player development.

The details

Hewitt, a former world No.1 who reached the Australian Open final in 2005, spoke in Melbourne on Friday about the state of player development in the country. Tennis Australia has added an extra Australian Open kids' tennis day on Sunday 10 January 2027, which it hopes will bring more children into the sport.

2005: Hewitt reaches the Australian Open final with strong local crowd support.
2022: Ash Barty retires, leaving de Minaur as the highest-ranked Australian.
Friday 6 November 2026: Hewitt makes his development pathway remarks in Melbourne.
Sunday 10 January 2027: The extra Australian Open kids' tennis day takes place.

Big Picture

Australia has had no women in the world's top 10 since Ash Barty retired in 2022, leaving Alex de Minaur as the country's only top-10 player. Hewitt's call for better development pathways signals that the national gap now extends beyond a single retirement.

Fans following Australian players in the rankings will see whether de Minaur holds his No.9 position and whether any younger Australians climb toward the top 10. The extra kids' tennis day on Sunday 10 January 2027 offers a practical entry point for families interested in getting children involved.

The takeaway

Strong national tennis results depend on how children are introduced to the sport early on. Families interested in tennis can use local programmes and events such as the Australian Open kids' day as a starting point.