TASHKENT: Mackenzie McDonald and Tommy Paul gave the United States a 2-0 lead in their Davis Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan on Friday, winning their singles rubbers in straight sets in Tashkent. Fresh off their Australian Open exploits, McDonald wasted little time in getting the USA — record 32-times Davis Cup winners — on the board in the indoor arena at the Olympic Tennis School. Having claimed his biggest career win when he toppled Australian Open top seed Rafa Nadal in straight sets in the second round, McDonald beat Sergey Fomin 6-4 6-1 in little over an hour, sealing the match with an ace. McDonald is one of three debutants for the American team in the Davis Cup alongside Denis Kudla and Austin Krajicek, with interim captain David Nainkin. Paul, who reached his maiden Grand Slam semi-final at Melbourne Park last week and moved up to a career-high 19th in the world, claimed a 6-1 7-6(6) victory over Khumoyun Sultanov who is ranked 461 rungs below the American. The doubles rubber will be played on Saturday with Americans Rajeev Ram and Krajicek set to take on Fomin and Sanjar Ayziev, before the reverse singles matches.