World number four, Taylor Fritz, seems determined to end America’s title drought in the men’s singles in Melbourne.
He dropped just five games in his first-round match at the Australian Open, cruising to a 6-2, 6-love, 6-3 victory over countryman Jenson Brooksby.
Fritz had a breakthrough year in 2024 and reached the US Open final in New York before losing to world number one, Jannik Sinner.
Andre Agassi was the last American to win the men’s singles in Melbourne back in 2003.
In the women’s singles, former Wimbledon champion and 2023 Australian Open runner-up, Elena Rybakina, also had an easy passage into round two.
The sixth seed from Kazakhstan beat Australian Emerson Jones 6-1, 6-1.