Lost in Nick Kyrgios’s latest on-court fireworks were against-the-odds wins also for Matt Ebden and Anastasia Rodionova on a triumphant first day for Australians at the US Open.

While Kyrgios grabbed the spotlight with his spirited 7-5 7-6 (7-4) 2-6 7-6 (7-1) victory over seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny, Ebden was heroic and Rodionova typically tenacious in also advancing to the second round with upset wins.

Ebden could barely move in the third set before pulling out all stops to clinch a 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-2) win over Tobias Kamke, a German ranked 21 places above him.

The world No.94 needed a medical time-out before rallying back from 4-1 down to take the match in two hours and 33 minutes.

“I struggled a bit in the third with my hips but I managed to just rely on my ball-striking really, the ones I could touch,” Ebden said.

“It’s just mind over matter. I knew if I got to the breaker, I was seeing the ball well.”

Ebden’s plucky win set up a clash on Wednesday with 23rd-seeded Argentine Leonardo Mayer.

The 26-year-old has never played the South American before and will be trying to make the third round at Flushing Meadows for the first time.

After battling through three rounds of qualifying just to make the main draw, Rodionova fought back after being wiped off the court in the opening set to oust highly-rated young Italian Camila Giorgi 1-6 7-5 6-3.

Rodionova hadn’t played a main-draw match since Wimbledon and was ranked a staggering 190 places below Giorgi, the world No.31, but once again delivered her best tennis in New York.

“The conditions suit me well and I also have a lot of friends here who come and support me every year,” she said.

“To me, it feels like home.”

The 32-year-old has twice made the last 32 at Flushing Meadows and can do so again with another upset win on Wednesday over Italian 13th seed Sara Errani.

“Why not? I’ll go out there and fight for every point,” Rodionova said.

“I’m really enjoying myself on the court and Giorgi did really well last week – she beat some good players – and I beat her, so hopefully the run continues.”