Jordan Thompson has earned the biggest pay day and biggest opportunity of his career after powering into the fourth round of the US Open in New York.

The Australian Davis Cup star outclassed Mikhail Kukushkin 7-5 6-4 6-1 on Saturday to reach the second week of a grand slam for the first time.

Thompson’s victory earned the 26-year-old Sydneysider at least a $US250,000 cheque and a last-16 crack at either Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Croatian Borna Coric on Monday.

In another clean serving display, Thompson struck 10 aces, only two double-faults, landed 65 per cent of his first deliveries and was broken just twice.

Closing in on a return to the world’s top 50, he mixed 26 winners with 24 unforced errors compared to the Kazakh’s 44, which mostly came from the baseline while trying to stay in rallies with the Australian.

In progressing to the round of 16 for the loss of only two sets, Thompson’s run betters his third-round showing at last year’s French Open, which bodes well ahead of next month’s claycourt slam in Paris.

Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur has the chance to join Thompson in the fourth round on Sunday when he plays Russian 11th seed Karen Khachanov.