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The tennis circuit has crossed the Atlantic and Australia's men have travelled with it, four of them recording wins at Newport, Rhode Island.

The tennis calendar rarely sleeps, and while Wimbledon is still clearing up after a memorable fortnight the circus has moved on to the US hardcourt circuit where Australia's men have made a good start.

Jordan Thompson and Rinky Hijikata won their first round matches at the Hall of Fame Open at Newport, Rhode Island, on Monday as Alex Bolt and Li Tu came through two rounds of qualifying.

Thompson, who went out to eventual finalist Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, brushed aside American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-0 6-1 in little more than an hour.

In the last 16 he will face Britain's Liam Broady, who made headlines at Wimbledon when he knocked out world No.4 Casper Ruud.

Hijikata was more tested but still saw off Jordan's Abdullah Shelbayh 6-3 6-4 to set up a tie against second seed Adrian Mannarino, of France.

Bolt beat Skander Mansouri, of Tunisia, who is ranked 158 places above him at 187, 6-4 6-1 to make the main draw while Tu overcame Ukraine's Illya Marchenko 6-3 6-2. They are yet to find out their opening main-draw opponents.

Also taking part in the Rhode Island event are Aleksandar Vukic, who has a bye to the second round, Max Purcell and James Duckworth.

Purcell could meet 2018 Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson in the second round if he beats Gijs Brouwer of the Netherlands.

Former world No.5 Anderson has come out of retirement having quit in May 2022.

The 37-year-old South African said he gave up tennis due to injuries causing him physical and emotional pain but now "felt much better" and wanted "to challenge myself again".

Also in the draw is John Isner, who Anderson famously beat 26-24 in the fifth set in the 2018 Wimbledon semi-final, prompting the tournament to finally introduce fifth set tie-breaks.