Great Britain began their quest for United Cup glory in ideal fashion by moving into an early 2-0 lead over Australia in their Group D contest in Sydney.
Tim Henman's team got off to the perfect start in Sydney, with Cameron Norrie defeating Alex de Minaur 6-3 6-3 before Katie Swan posted a 6-4 6-3 win over Zoe Hives.
Norrie took just over an hour and a half to see off home favourite De Minaur in straight sets, breaking in the fourth game of the match after saving three break points in the third.
Both players produced a spate of love holds towards the end of the first set, with Norrie doing so for a second time to move into a 1-0 lead in the match, having won 93% of his first serve points in the opening set.
Working the cross-court forehand to the maximum, Norrie broke De Minaur in the fifth game of the second set before saving another break point in the sixth to go 4-2 up.
Norrie had two chances to earn the double break in the seventh game, but he squandered both of them before suffering an identical fate with De Minaur serving to stay in the match at 5-3 up.
The Australian recovered from 40-15 down to bring the game back to deuce, but a double fault then brought up another match point for Norrie, and De Minaur netted one of his signature backhand half-volleys to hand the Brit the opening match.
"It's never easy coming out here to play Alex, he loves it on this court, he's such a great competitor and it's the perfect match for me," Norrie said on the court. "Even when I was missing my ball toss you guys [the crowd] were giving it to me, I love that!
Speaking positively of Henman's influence, Norrie added: "He can really talk you through them, he sees the match so well and it's great to have him here. Hopefully he thinks I'm a bit better of a player now!"
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Following Norrie's victory, compatriot Swan took just five minutes fewer to wrap up a two-set win over Hives, who was the master of her own downfall with 42 unforced errors and eight double faults.
With Hives producing a wealth of double faults early doors, Swan stormed into a 3-0 lead before being broken in her next two service games, although she broke the Australian in between to maintain a two-game lead.
The two error-strewn competitors recorded just one hold between them in the opening six games of the match, and the resurgent Hives wasted two chances to level the contest at 4-4 as Swan moved one game away from taking the first set.
Bringing up two set points on serve in the 10th game, Swan saw one opportunity go begging with a long forehand, but she took the second with a brilliant cross-court effort before finding herself under the cosh in the second.
A much-improved Hives broke Swan straight away and backed it up with an ace to hold for a 3-0 lead, but few could have envisaged the capitulation that would follow for the 26-year-old.
Hives proceeded to lose each of the next six games to confirm victory for Swan, who brought up three match points in the ninth game following more double faults from Hives and sent a forehand winner down the line to seal the triumph.
"It's the first match of the season, I haven't played for about two and a half months so I was pretty nervous coming out but what a way to start the year," Swan said on the court.
"Cam played a great match, it was almost more nerve-wracking watching him but it took a lot of pressure off going into my match, it's a great start for the team. I'm really happy to get through that one."
GB and Australia return on Friday, with Alja Tomljanovic facing off against Harriet Dart before Dan Evans takes on Jason Kubler, and the doubles contest pits Dart and Evans against John Peers and Samantha Stosur.
Ben Knapton
