AO 2021: Serena, Coco dominate as 18 Americans reach Round 2

Team USA sent a combined 26 singles players into the main draw of the 2021 Australian Open—the most of any nation across the women's and men's competitions. Now with 18 through to Round 2, the U.S. can also claim the largest representation in the second round.

Sixteen American women posted an 11-5 first-round record, while 10 men went 7-3.  Despite the abundance of Red, White and Blue, Round 1 did not serve up any all-American matchups. That will change in Round 2, with one apiece in the women's and men's draws.

Here's what's up for American tennis Down Under.

Favorites cruise, Pegula and Pera upset Slam-winners

Eleven American women, led by defending champion Sofia Kenin, the Williams sisters and Coco Gauff, earned safe passage through to the second round of the Australian Open over the course of the event's first atwo days, and among them, Jessica Pegula and Bernarda Pera sent former champions home in the opening round. 

On Monday, Pera stormed to the first nine games against 2016 AO champion and No. 23 seed Angelique Kerber before winning, 6-0, 6-4, and Pegula earned herself the biggest upset of the women's singles event so far with a 7-5, 6-4 win over two-time champion and No. 13 seed Victoria Azarenka on Tuesday, where she rallied from 5-2 down in the opening set. Pegula, who'd lost to Kenin from 7-5, 4-1, in one of the three lead-up tournaments last week, scored her fourth career Top 20 victory with the upset. 

"I've been playing really well the last few weeks, hitting the ball well, moving well. I just knew I just had to stay in there today," Pegula said. "It definitely gives me a lot of confidence getting a big win. She's been in good form, obviously considering the situation here. She's been in good form, she did well last year. I'm definitely going to take the confidence with me."

In addition to Pera, Serena and Venus sealed second-round berths with a pair of straight-sets wins against Laura Siegemund (6-1, 6-1) and Kirsten Flipkens (7-5, 6-2), respectively on Monday, and Tuesday's slate began with No.4 seed Kenin beginning her title defense with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Aussie wild card Maddison Inglis inside Rod Laver Arena, one of the eight U.S. women to advance on Day 2. Later in the day, Gauff, who lost to Kenin in the fourth round of last year's event, scored her second victory in as many weeks against Switzerland's Jil Teichmann, 6-3, 6-2.

Also continuing the good form that saw her reach the final of another tuneup event last week was 20-year-old Pennsylvanian Ann Li, who upset No. 31 Zhang Shuai of China in just 47 minutes, 6-2, 6-0. No. 22 seed Jennifer Brady, Madison Brengle Danielle Collins and Shelby Rogers round out the Americans in Round 2.

At least one will be assured of a third-round berth, as No. 22 seed Jennifer Brady will face Brengle for spot in the final 32. 

Fritz, Opelka set up second-round showdown

Seven of the 10 American men in singles main-draw action advanced to Round 2, led by No. 27 seed Taylor Fritz, who won a pair of tiebreaks in a four-set victory over Spain's Albert Ramos-Vinolas to advance, 7-6, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6. Fritz will face Davis Cup teammate Reilly Opelka in the tournament's first all-American matchup, after Opelka got past Yen-Hsun Lu in straights, 6-3, 7-6, 6-3. The pair have squared off four times at the ATP level, most recently in October in Belgium's European Open, where Fritz won in straight sets on the indoor hard courts. Fritz will take a 3-1 ATP head-to-head advantage into the matchup, set for 1573 Arena on Day 3.

In that same section of the draw, 2019 AO quarterfinalist Frances Tiafoe also got off to a winning start with a straight-sets victory of his own, against Italy's Stefano Travaglia. The victory sets up a Rod Laver Arena showdown with world No. 1 Novak Djokovic, also on Day 3.

READ MORE: Frances Tiafoe's Black History Month Essay - The Importance of Giving Back

Maxime Cressy will follow Tiafoe on Laver, where he will make his debut on the Melbourne show court against No. 6 seed Alex Zverev. The Paris-born American debuted in Arthur Ashe Stadium this summer, when he tested Stefanos Tsitsipas in three tight sets before exiting in Round 2. After Marcos Giron, a fellow American qualifier, pushed Zverev to four sets in Round 1, Cressy will rely on his serve-and-volley game to create more problems for the German.

“I think that my unique style of game could be dangerous against anybody," Cressy told USTA.com in a recent interview, "because they’re not really ready to play someone like me,”

READ MORE: AO 2021 Profile - Maxime Cressy gets by with a little help from his friends

In the bottom half of the draw, Michael Mmoh's five-set comeback against Viktro Troicki was the pick of the American victories. The 23-year-old, who was born in Saudi Arabia, came back from a break down in the fourth set and two breaks in the fifth to beat fellow qualifier Viktor Troicki. He will face No. 2 seed Rafael Nadal next, on Day 4.

Tommy Paul also moved on, in straights vs. Nikoloz Basilashvili, to set up a meeting with No. 24 Casper Ruud. Rounding out the American success, Mackenzie McDonald advanced in four sets over 2018 French Open semifinalist Marco Cecchinato. He'll also have a chance to knock off a seeded opponent on Day 4, when he takes on No. 22 Borna Coric.

In addition to Giron's loss to Zverev, Sam Querrey (l. to Lorenzo Sonego) and Tennys Sandgren (l. to Alex de Minaur) also bowed out in Round 1.

Day 3 in Melbourne will see the start of Round 1 of men's and women's doubles action, in addition to second-round singles play. For complete draws and schedules from Melbourne, visit the official Australian Open website.