Daily Dose of Social Media: Cruz Hewitt’s moment with Federer steals the spotlight as two former top-10 players get married

In a new Daily Dose of Social Media, we review images from the recent wedding of a former ATP world No. 1 and a former WTA top-10, while a memory of Roger Federer playing with Cruz Hewitt, Lleyton's son, at just six years old went viral.

On the other hand, Iga Swiatek showed fans the best way to cheer for Poland in her own language ahead of the United Cup, while Sorana Cirstea gave hints about a potential retirement this season.  

Iga Swiatek teaches fans to cheer 'Jazda Polska'

Iga Swiatek has called on fans to cheer for Poland during the upcoming United Cup, teaching them how to say “Go Poland” (“Jazda Polska”) in her native language. The world No. 2 will begin her season at the nation-based tournament, teaming up with Hubert Hurkacz, as they aim to improve on their 2024 result when they lost in the final to Germany’s Angelique Kerber and Alexander Zverev.

After ending the year amidst controversy due to a doping case and a one-month suspension, the 5-time Grand Slam champion remains focused on 2025. She has been training with her new coach, Wim Fissette, just 10 days before her return to the court.

Poland will face the Czech Republic and Norway in Group B in Sydney, where Swiatek hopes the fans will support the Polish team. “You know Jazda already, I hope,” she said in a social media video. “And Polska is just Poland, but a little bit differently… so Jazda Polska!”

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Billie Jean King honours Arantxa Sánchez Vicario on her 53rd birthday

Former world No. 1 Arantxa Sánchez Vicario received a special birthday message from the legendary Billie Jean King. The Spanish tennis icon, a 4-time Grand Slam singles champion, held the world No. 1 spot for a total of 12 weeks, breaking nearly two years of dominance by Steffi Graf.

King shared her birthday wishes on social media as Sánchez Vicario turned 53 on December 18. The post featured a photo of Sánchez Vicario alongside King and former French Open champion Conchita Martínez, who currently coaches rising star Mirra Andreeva.

“Please join me in wishing a very happy birthday to 14x Grand Slam champion, 5x @BJKCup champion representing Spain, and 4x Olympic medalist, Arantxa Sánchez Vicario,” Billie Jean King posted.

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Cirstea’s farewell? Romanian star suggests 2025 might be her final year

Sorana Cirstea has announced her participation in the upcoming Transylvania Open, sparking speculation about her future by hinting that 2025 might be her final season as a professional. The 34-year-old Romanian broke into the top 100 in 2008 at just 18 years old.

Although Cirstea didn’t fully meet the high expectations placed on her at the start of her career, she has been a consistent presence on the tour for 15 years, finishing seven seasons ranked in the top 30. With 62 Grand Slam main draw appearances, her best results include quarterfinal runs at the 2009 Roland Garros and the 2023 US Open.

Last year, her season ended prematurely due to surgery for plantar fasciitis, with her final match at Wimbledon resulting in a first-round loss to local wildcard Sonay Kartal. At that time, Cirstea gave no indication of potential retirement. Now, through a video shared on the official accounts of the WTA 250 Transylvania Open, she has confirmed her return to the tournament in Cluj in February, leaving fans wondering if this will be one of her last appearances.

“The 2025 season might be my last on the WTA Tour. I say 'might' because we can never be 100% certain of what the future holds,” said Cirstea. “That's why I really wanted to play one more tournament in Romania, and I'm thrilled to be back on court at the Transylvania Open in Cluj. I hope to see you there!”

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Cruz Hewitt’s moment with Federer steals the spotlight

After the announcement of wildcards for the Australian Open qualifying rounds, one name stood out: 16-year-old Cruz Hewitt, currently ranked world No. 1264. The son of Australian tennis legend Lleyton Hewitt, Cruz’s invitation raised eyebrows, especially due to his low ranking, prompting mixed reactions on social media.

As discussions heated up online about Cruz’s merit for the wildcard, journalist Bastien Fachan shared a forgotten clip of a young Cruz, then just six years old, hitting with Roger Federer on Melbourne’s Central Court. The moment occurred during an exhibition event leading up to the 2015 Australian Open, where the 20-time Grand Slam champion played alongside Cruz to the delight of the crowd.

Check out the amusing moment when Federer enjoyed playing with Cruz as the audience cheered them on!

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Former tennis stars Julia Goerges and Wesley Koolhof celebrate marriage in the Netherlands

Former top-10 player Julia Goerges and former doubles world No. 1 Wesley Koolhof tied the knot this weekend in a new union between ATP and WTA stars. The couple, who have been together for several years, got married in the Netherlands, Koolhof’s home country, at a resort in the city of Arnhem, near the German border.

Koolhof recently ended his career during the Davis Cup Finals, where he helped the Netherlands reach the final before falling to Italy led by Jannik Sinner. The 35-year-old spent 34 weeks as doubles world No. 1 and won Wimbledon in 2023 alongside Neal Skupski. Goerges, on the other hand, retired in 2020 with seven singles titles to her name. Her career highlights include reaching the semifinals at Wimbledon 2018, where she lost to Serena Williams.

Koolhof and Gorges wasn’t the only to celebrate marriage at the end of the year. The Japanese player Nao Hibino, currently ranked No. 145, also tied the knot recently, as she announced on social media. “I would like to make an announcement that I have recently gotten married to Mr. Masuda Hirotaka,” she shared.

“I am filled with gratitude for having met him and for the opportunity to walk through life together from now on,” added the 30-year-old player. “I will continue to give my best in my athletic career, so I kindly ask for your continued support. Thank you always for your warm encouragement.”

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