Three Australians have made flying starts to the ATP US hardcourt season with John Millman, James Duckworth and Jordan Thompson winning in Washington.
Fresh from a career-best third-round grand slam showing at Wimbledon, Millman down local hopeful Denis Kudla 7-5 6-0 in the opening round of the Citi Open on Monday.
The 27-year-old Millman thundered five aces past Kudla, reeling off the last seven games of the match to book a second-round showdown with 2010 finalist Marcos Baghdatis.
When they last met, Baghdatis prevailed in a five-set battle in the second round at Wimbledon in 2015.
Duckworth inflicted more pain on the Americans, taking down Tim Smyczek 7-5 6-1.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
It was Duckworth's third win in a row, having come through qualifying.
He won 76 per cent of his first-serve points and was never broken to set up a clash with top seed and three-time runner-up, the big-serving American John Isner.
Thompson became the third Australian to advance in straight sets.
The world No.90 overcame Victor Estrella Burgos 6-3 6-2 in little more than an hour.
Thompson, 22, will now face 11th seed Alexandr Dolgopolov in a second-round meeting.
Third-seeded Bernard Tomic has also advanced after a first-round bye and he will meet the winner of an all-American clash between Donald Young and Ernesto Escobedo.
Bjorn Fratangelo beat Alex Kuznetsov 4-6 6-2 6-4, while Great Britain's Dan Evans saw off Germany's Benjamin Becker 6-2 6-1.
