IN an incredible first two days of tennis action over in Flushing Meadows, a whopping 11 Australians reached the second round of the qualifying. While only the first of three match wins required to make it into the 128-player US Open main draw, the signs were overwhelmingly positive from the green and gold representatives.

Teenage prodigy Maya Joint produced perhaps the most eye-catching win, completely dismantling Poland’s Maja Chwalinska. The 18-year-old Australian – who cracked the Top 150 for the first time in the past month – easily destroyed the 22-year-old 6-0 6-3, winning the first six games of the match and controlling all facets of the game.

Out on Court 14, Joint was able to produce a reliable serving efficiency of 72 per cent, and though not known for her service strength, managed to scrape together a 58 and 62 per cent success rate off her first and second serve points. She was able to convert a whopping seven break points, and though broken twice herself in the second set, was able to win four service games off the current world number 172.

Funnily enough, the win moved Joint up one place to a new career-high 136th in the world, with a Top 100 spot beckoning in the near future. Not far off receiving the Australian wildcard for the US Open main draw – that went to fellow 18-year-old Taylah Preston – Joint will now take on Iryna Shymanovich.

The 32nd seed in qualifying, by rising up to her career-high 137th entering the tournament, it allowed the Australian to avoid playing any higher ranked player until the third round of qualifying. It will be a tough one though, likely to take on American third seed Hayley Baptiste who at 106th in the world fell marginally short of a main draw spot at her home Slam.

Also having a tough second round match is Destanee Aiava, with the Aussie overcoming Bulgarian Gergana Topalova 6-3 6-0, where at 3-33 in the first set, Aiava put the foot down and won the last nine games of the match to steam roll her opponent. Unseeeded at the event, Aiava will face Japanese fourth seed Mai Hontama in the second round.

Kimberly Birrell had a big upset over local hope and sixth seed Robin Montgomery in her first round match, grinding out a 7-6 4-6 6-2 victory to reach the second stage. She will now be the favourite to advance from her section, while for Aussie 22-year-old Olivia Gadecki, he will now need to beat talented ninth seed German Eva Lys for a spot in the third round.

Incredibly, no Aussies will face off against each other in the qualifying draw, with the eight women all in different sections. Other winners over the first two days included Talia Gibson, Priscilla Hon and Astra Sharma. In fact the only Aussie to lose was Maddison Inglis who went down to top ranked Filipino player Alexandra Eala.

In the men’s singles, just three Aussies are competing for a main draw spot, but they went three from three across the first two days. Li Tu – ranked 188th in the world – kicked off proceedings on day one with a 6-4 6-4 triumph over Spaniard Alejandro Moro Canas.

The Aussie 28-year-old is ranked lower than the 143rd European, but was able to come out on top and now faces a tough challenge against Argentinian Marco Trungelliti in the second round. If he wins, a likely deciding date with sixth seed Dutchman Jesper De Jong is the reward.

In tougher circumstances, Alex Bolt fought back from being bageled in the opening set to defeat fourth seed Damir Dzumhur. The Bosnia and Herzegovina veteran looked like racing to an easy victory when winning the first set 6-0, before the 31-year-old South Australian stepped up to win the last two sets, 6-3 6-3.

In much easier circumstances, Marc Polmans easily took care of Frenchman Matteo Martineau 6-1 6-1. However the level of difficulty rises significantly in the second round, drawn against Russian third seed and former Australian Open semi-finalist Aslan Karatsev who also had a big win in the first round, defeating another Frenchman in Enzo Couacaud, 6-3 6-1.

AUSSIE US OPEN FIRST ROUND QUALIFYING RESULTS:

ATP:

Li Tu (AUS) defeated Alejandro Moro Canas (ESP) 6-4 6-4
Alex Bolt (AUS) defeated Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 0-6 6-3 6-3
Marc Polmans (AUS) defeated Matteo Martineau (FRA) 6-1 6-1

WTA:

Talia Gibson (AUS) defeated Anastasia Zakharova (RUS) 7-6 1-6 6-3
Priscilla Hon (AUS) defeated Akasha Urhobo (AUS) 6-3 3-6 6-3
Kim Birrell (AUS) defeated Robin Montgomery (USA) 7-6 4-6 6-2
Maya Joint (AUS) defeated Maja Chwalinska (POL) 6-0 6-3
Destanee Aiava (AUS) defeated Gergana Topalova (BUL) 6-3 6-0
Olivia Gadecki (AUS) defeated Viktoria Hruncakova (SVK) 6-4 4-6 7-6
Astra Sharma (AUS) defeated Margaux Rouvroy (FRA) 7-6 2-6 6-3
Arina Rodionova (AUS) defeated Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 6-1 7-6
Maddison Inglis (AUS) lost to Alexandra Eala (PHI) 3-6 6-2 1-6