American tennis player Taylor Fritz is donating the prize money he earned for his first-round victory at the Australian Open — about $82,000 — to relief funds to help people affected by the wildfires in the greater Los Angeles area.

Fritz eased past fellow American Jenson Brooksby in the first round of the Australian Open men’s singles tournament.

American world number four Taylor Fritz said Thursday he will donate his $82,000 first-round prize money from the Australian Open to help victims of the Los Angeles wildfires, calling the devastation "insane".

Taylor Fritz has blitzed Chilean qualifier Cristian Garin to lead the Australian Open charge into round three, where he will face French veteran Gael Monfils.

The American kicks off his campaign Down Under with high expectations after a career-best year, facing a familiar opponent in round one.