Daddy daycare! Lleyton Hewitt's mini-me son Cruz can't get enough of his tennis ace father as the pair hit the court for a quick rally ahead of Australian Open

By Penelope Kilby for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 00:58 EST, 18 January 2015 | Updated: 08:42 EST, 18 January 2015

He started his stellar tennis career as a 15-year-old back in 1997, and was the youngest world number one at just 20, garnering a huge fan base.

Now at 33, Lleyton Hewitt may have found his biggest fan yet.

In the lead up to next week's Australian Open, the Aussie hopeful's only son, Cruz, hasn't missed a beat of his father's daily training regime. 

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Sweating it out: Lleyton Hewitt takes a break from tennis practice on Sunday ahead of the Australian Open which kicks off on Monday

Sweating it out: Lleyton Hewitt takes a break from tennis practice on Sunday ahead of the Australian Open which kicks off on Monday

Biggest fan! In the lead up to next week's Australian Open, the Aussie hopeful's only son, Cruz, hasn't missed a beat of his father's daily training regime
Biggest fan! In the lead up to next week's Australian Open, the Aussie hopeful's only son, Cruz, hasn't missed a beat of his father's daily training regime

Biggest fan! In the lead up to next week's Australian Open, the Aussie hopeful's only son, Cruz, hasn't missed a beat of his father's daily training regime

The six-year-old has faithfully sat courtside watching on and even having a whack of the ball himself.

Ditching his father's signature look of a back-to-front cap, which he himself has worn all week, the mini-me instead opted for his favourite AFL team's jersey and a pair of board shorts. 

He also made a new friend as Lleyton worked on his serve.

Boys will be boys: The six-year-old looked very cheeky as he carried his very own identification pass around his neck

Boys will be boys: The six-year-old looked very cheeky as he carried his very own identification pass around his neck

Play time: Lleyton's lookalike made a new friend as his father worked on his serve

Play time: Lleyton's lookalike made a new friend as his father worked on his serve

If Cruz's dedication to his dad's training scheduale is anything to go by, he should be sitting front and centre when he takes to the court on Monday against China's Ze Zhang.

Lleyton looked very focused on Sunday, wearing his signature game face and sporting an impressive athlete's physique.

Nowhere in sight was his wife Bec Hewitt or daughters Mia, nine, and Ava, four. 

Cheeky: The blonde-haired, blue-eyed chap had a giggle with his buddy while dad continued hitting the ball over the net

Cheeky: The blonde-haired, blue-eyed chap had a giggle with his buddy while dad continued hitting the ball over the net

Ace! Lleyton looked very focused on Sunday, wearing his signature game face and sporting an impressive athlete's physique

Ace! Lleyton looked very focused on Sunday, wearing his signature game face and sporting an impressive athlete's physique

A tennis star in the making? If Cruz's dedication to his dad's training scheduale is anything to go by, he should be sitting front and centre when he takes to the court on Monday against China's Ze Zhang

A tennis star in the making? If Cruz's dedication to his dad's training scheduale is anything to go by, he should be sitting front and centre when he takes to the court on Monday against China's Ze Zhang

However they did join fans just a day earlier for her husband of almost 10-years' practice session, perched up proudly in the arena at Melbourne Park.

Earlier in the week, Cruz wowed crowds in Sydney after he was invited to the net by number two seed Roger Federer, 33, for a warm-up round, before he and Lleyton competed in a best-of-five sets Fast4 match in Sydney. 

Leaving his courtside position with mother Bec Hewitt, 31, and sisters, Ava, four, and Mia, nine, Cruz bravely trotted up to the net to shake hands with Swiss legend Roger in front of the 10,000-strong crowd. 

Cheer squad: Bec Hewitt and the couple's daughters Ava and Mia joined fans on Saturday to watch Lleton's practice session, perched up proudly in the arena at Melbourne Park

Cheer squad: Bec Hewitt and the couple's daughters Ava and Mia joined fans on Saturday to watch Lleton's practice session, perched up proudly in the arena at Melbourne Park

Playing against some of the best in the world will no doubt help a possible professional tennis career and make him the talk of the playground.

Hewitt is expected to head to Adelaide for a match against Tomas Berdych before returning to Melbourne for the grand slam contest which kicks off on January 19. 

Speculation is rife that 2015 might be Lleyton's last year on the tennis tour.

Learning from the best: Earlier in the week, Cruz wowed crowds in Sydney after he was invited to the net by number two seed Roger Federer, 33, for a warm-up round, before he and Lleyton competed in a best-of-five sets Fast4 match in Sydney

Learning from the best: Earlier in the week, Cruz wowed crowds in Sydney after he was invited to the net by number two seed Roger Federer, 33, for a warm-up round, before he and Lleyton competed in a best-of-five sets Fast4 match in Sydney

In the family: On Monday night, the youngster was reminiscent of his famous dad
In the family: On Monday night, the youngster was reminiscent of his famous dad

In the family: On Monday night, the youngster was reminiscent of his famous dad

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