Melbourne, 24 August 2011 | tennis.com.au

Australia’s men are off to a solid start as the US Open qualifying rounds kicked off in New York on Tuesday.

Fourteenth seed Matt Ebden was too strong for countryman James Lemke, who he knocked out in straight sets, 6-0 6-3.

Greg Jones, meanwhile, pulled off an upset when he ousted 19th-seeded American Wayne Odesnik 6-7(6) 6-2 6-2.

With Marinko Matosevic being handed Tennis Australia’s reciprocal wildcard following Lleyton Hewitt’s withdrawal due to a lingering foot injury, Carsten Ball has come into the qualifying rounds in Matosevic’s place.

Ball will take on Brazil’s Ricardo Hocovar, Peter Luczak will face eighth-seeded Slovenian Grega Zemlja and Chris Guccione plays 20th seed Vasek Pospisil of Canada in the remaining men’s first-round qualifying matches.

On the women’s side, Olivia Rogowska and Sally Peers were both first-round casualties. Isabela Holland remains and takes on fourth-seeded Romanian Edina Gallovits-Hall for a place in the second round.