World number two tennis player Lleyton Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs both won in straight sets to give Australia a 2-0 lead over Austria in a Davis Cup World Group match in Sydney.
It was Hewitt's first action since losing the Australian Open final to Russian Marat Safin on January 30. He beat Austria's Alexander Peya in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Arthurs, who won his first career singles title at Scottsdale, Arizona, last Sunday, beat top Austrian Jurgen Melzer, 7-6, 6-2, 6-4, on a grass court at the 2000 Olympic venue.
Arthurs and Todd Woodbridge can clinch the best-of-five match first-round tie for Australia Saturday when they play Julian Knowle and Peya in doubles. The reverse singles matches are scheduled for Sunday.
The Australia-Austria winner faces the winner of the Czech Republic-Argentina tie in the quarterfinals in July.
The United States hosts Croatia in another World Group Davis Cup match later Friday near Los Angeles in Carson, California.
Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP.
