Australia took an early stranglehold on their Davis Cup tie with China after Lleyton Hewitt and Bernard Tomic won their singles matches.
Veteran Hewitt, 30, saw off China's top-ranked player, Zhang Ze, in straight sets to get the ball rolling in Geelong, the two-time major champion prevailing 6-2 6-1 7-6 (7-4).
Tomic then ensured that the hosts would only need one further point from the remaining three rubbers as he defeated promising youngster Wu Di, also in straight sets.
However, Tomic - who reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last month - insisted that the match against his 502nd-ranked opponent had been tougher than the scoreline might have suggested.
"Wu is the best 500 player I've ever seen," the 19-year-old said afterwards. "But one day I hopefully can win the Davis Cup."
Australia's neighbours New Zealand did not enjoy such success, though, as Uzbekistan raced into a 2-0 lead in their first-round contest.
World number 58 Denis Istomin raced past Rubin Statham, dropping just five games in a one-sided encounter against a player ranked almost 500 places below him.
Istomin won 6-1 6-1 6-3 in barely 90 minutes and team-mate Farrukh Dustov backed up that success by beating Michael Venus in four sets.
Dustov had to come from a set down, but eventually chalked up a 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-2 triumph meaning that New Zealand must now win Saturday's doubles to have any hope of snatching victory.
