Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis scored comfortable victories to give Australia a 2-0 lead in their Davis Cup first-round tie against Britain on Friday.

Philippoussis beat Alan Mackin 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 in the first rubber before world number one Hewitt, who had trailed 2-4 in the first set, swept past teenager Alex Bogdanovic 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 at the Sydney Olympic tennis venue.

Mackin, ranked 331, and 18-year-old Bogdanovic, ranked 457, battled gamely but did little more than pester their more-experienced opponents.

Australia need only to win Saturday's doubles to wrap up the tie against a severely under-strength British team that is without the injured Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski.

Hewitt, 21, admitted he had to adjust to the drop-in clay court after playing on a hard surface during last month's Australian Open and was expecting a long, drawn-out tussle.

"He (Bogdanovic) picked his game up and played well. I was thinking best of five sets," Hewitt said after the match that lasted just over two hours.

Bogdanovic said that by the closing points of the third set he was puffing hard to combat Hewitt's barrage.

"That's one of my weaknesses. I know I've got to work on that," said Bogdanovic, who was clearly basking in the post-match attention that comes with playing the world number one.

Next week, the teenager returns to Britain to play satellite tournaments.

TENACIOUS BRITON

Philippoussis, returning to Davis Cup action after a three-year break, overpowered a tenacious Mackin with a battery of 13 aces and hefty returns.

"I mixed it up a little more out there today," Philippoussis said of his victory that was completed in one hour, 43 minutes.

"I don't think I played my best tennis but I played solid tennis and played how I wanted to.

"I didn't want to come out and hit every ball as hard as I can and blow him off the court. I worked the ball around and when I do that it opens up the court for me.

"But I'm always going to go for my shots, that's the type of player I am," the 1998 U.S. Open finalist added.

Philippoussis, 26, said he had no idea how Mackin would play until the pair began warming up prior to the game.

"I didn't know how he played until I saw him in warm up and as soon as he hit the first balls I knew it would be a tough match because he works the ball around, and it's on clay.

"But I'm happy with the way I played. It's always good to get that first one out of the way."

Hewitt is scheduled to play singles again on Sunday but first is rostered for doubles with Todd Woodbridge.

The victorious nation will meet the winner of the tie between Sweden and Brazil in the world group quarter-finals over the weekend of April 4 to 6.