Australian Open 2022 - Andy Murray knocked out as impressive Taro Daniel reaches third round for first time

Taro Daniel had never previously progressed from the second round at a major championship but produced a career-best showing, overcoming a largely pro-Murray crowd in Melbourne. He could face Italian rising star Jannik Sinner in the third round after condemning Murray to a straight sets defeat, and admitted afterwards that he had "goosebumps" during a fine performance.

Andy Murray was knocked out of the Australian Open after a straight-sets defeat to Taro Daniel.

Daniel reached the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time with perhaps a career-best performance, taking it 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Murray was largely unable to impose himself in the opening two sets, perhaps guilty of playing a touch too passively.

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By contrast, Daniel, who had never previously been beyond the second round at a Grand Slam, impressed, producing a succession of particularly flat and fierce forehands down the line.

The 28-year-old, ranked 120th in the world, has just a single career ATP title but felled a disappointed Murray, who was not rallied by a partisan crowd in his favour as the qualifier produced a shock.

'Dangerous work' - Daniel almost hits umpire with wild return of Murray serve

Video credit: TNT Sports

"It's amazing. Winning a match like this, here, with a lot of people, especially after Covid - it's unbelievable," said Daniel after a fine win.

"It's an amazing level for me. I was cramping a little bit at the start of the third set but I tried not to make such a big deal out of the match. It's important, but it's not important.

"I was trying to feel the energy within my body - I had goosebumps a couple of times during the match. Amazing!"

A hard-fought, long battle contested of increasingly frequent long rallies, Daniel was not cowed by an experienced and in-form Murray.

He broke five times and also produced an impressive serving performance, winning nearly 80% of points on first serve.

Murray struggled to convert his opportunities to break, taking just two of 11 across the match.

That enabled Daniel to push into a two-set advantage, even as he began to fatigue after taking the second set 6-4.

'Listen to that, magnificent' - Murray gets huge ovation

Video credit: TNT Sports

Murray began the third set well, breaking Daniel in the Japanese player's first service game, but allowed his opponent to re-establish on-serve parity with a soft concession of a break.

It proved Murray's high-point, as a back-and-forth, elongated third set increasingly began to favour Daniel.

He moved with a game of victory by breaking Murray in the ninth game, and duly sealed progress to the third round, adventurously securing it with a serve and volley, eyes widening in disbelief and celebration as he defeated the three-time major champion in straight sets.

Daniel had beaten Tomas Barrios in his first match in the main draw after progressing through qualifying without conceding a set.

With Italian rising star Jannik Sinner his next potential opponent, the 28-year-old may draw on his qualifying showings - each of his three opponents in the preliminary rounds were also Italian.

Sinner faces American veteran Steve Johnson later on Thursday to determine Daniel's opponent.

Defeat means Murray has not been beyond the second round of the season-opening Grand Slam in five years.

The Scot appeared short of intensity after a busy two weeks since arriving in Australia, with the 34-year-old further fatigued by Tuesday's gruelling five-setter against Nikoloz Basilashvili.

His exit extends a run of seven major championship appearances without a fourth round appearance, having reached at least that stage of the 26 Grand Slams he had entered before the start of a period defined by battles with injury.

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