Americans enjoy day of dominance at Australian Open 2023, win all eight matches on Day 2

It was a great day for American players on the second day of the 2023 Australian Open on Tuesday (January 17).

The USA went a perfect eight on eight on Day 2 of the first Grand Slam of the year at Melbourne Park. That included a fairytale first Grand Slam match win for Ben Shelton. The 20-year-old American saved a match point before downing Zhang Zhizhen in a fifth-set super tiebreak.

Shelby Rogers, Tommy Paul, Taylor Townsend, Taylor Fritz, J.J. Wolf, Katie Volynets, Jenson Brooksby and Ben Shelton comprised the perfect-eight US contingent on the day.

Rogers saw off Arianne Hartono (6-3, 6-4). Paul beat qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff (6-1, 7-6(6), 6-2). In an all-wildcard battle, the left-handed Townsend beat Diane Parry for the loss of just two games (6-1, 6-1).

Eighth seed Taylor Fritz dropped a set before seeing off Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5. Wolf also needed four sets to beat home favorite Jordan Thompson (6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5).

Elsewhere, qualifier Volynets beat Evgeniya Rodina 6-3, 6-2. Brooksby beat Christopher O'Connell 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2, and Shelton beat Zhang 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 [10-4].

As if that wasn't enough, two other Americans, Michael Mmoh and Lauren Davis were up a break in the decider before play was called off due to rain on a day plagued by extreme heat and torrential downpours.

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Taylor Fritz happy to move into next round on super day for Americans at Australian Open

Taylor Fritz at the 2023 Australian Open - Day 2

Eighth seed Taylor Fritz commenced his campaign for a maiden Grand Slam singles title against big-servian Nikoloz Basilashvili at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The American took control of the match, conceding six games en route to taking a two-set lead. Although Basilashvili stopped the rut by taking the third, Fritz reasserted his ascendancy. The 25-year-old took a tight fourth set 7-5 to sail into the next round.

He said after the win:

"I don’t want to put too many high expectations but I do expect a lot of myself. I’m in a really good spot right now, I’ve been playing really well, I’ve had a great start to the year and I’m looking to have a really big week.”

Fritz will next take on Tseng Chun-Hsin or local Alexei Popyrin on Thursday for a place in the third round. The American's best showing at Melbourne Park is a fourth-round appearance last year, losing to eventual semifinalist Stefanos Tsitsipas in a five-setter.