Murray is the pre-fight favorite, but there’s not much to show against Japan’s Taro Daniel on Thursday. The Scottish player is ranked 113th in the world’s best players, while Daniel is ranked 120th.

The Japanese won the first two sets before the Scot made a small comeback in the third. But 28-year-old Daniel got too strong, turned things around and ended up winning 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in sets after two hours and 49 minutes of play.

Murray entered the Australian Open on a wildcard, and has struggled with multiple injuries for several seasons. The 34-year-old has previously played five finals at the tournament without winning any of them.

Australian Open (hardcourt, $75 million) in Melbourne on Thursday, first Grand Slam tournament of the year, 2nd round (match with seeded player):

Man:

Stefanos Tsitsipas (4), Greece – Sebastian Baez, Argentina 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4, Andrej Rublev (5), Russia – Ricardas Berankis, Lithuania 6-4, 6-2, 6-0, Felix Auger-Aliassime (9), Canada – Alejandro Davidovich, Spain 7-6 (7-4), 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7- 5), 7-6 (7-4), Christopher O’Connell, Australia – Diego Schwartzman (13), Argentina 7-6 (8-6), 6-4, 6-4, Roberto Bautista-Agut (15) , Spain – Philipp Kohlschreiber, Germany 6-1, 6-0, 6-3, Taylor Fritz (20), USA – Frances Tiafoe, USA 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), Daniel Evans (24), United Kingdom – Arthur Rinderknech, France walkover (Rinderknech retreats), Benoît Paire, France – Grigor Dimitrov (26), Bulgaria 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 ( 7-2), Marin Cilic (27), Croatia – Norbert Gombos, Slovakia 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), Alex de Minaur (32), Australia – Kamil Majchrzak, Poland 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.

Woman:

Aryna Sabalenka (2), Belarus – Wang Xinyu, China 1-6, 6-4, 6-2, Alize Cornet, France – Garbine Muguruza (3), Clara Tauson, Denmark – Anett Kontaveit (6), Estonia 6-2 , 6-4, Spain 6-3, 6-3, Iga Swiatek (7), Poland – Rebecca Peterson, Sweden 6-2, 6-2, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (10), Russia – Samantha Stosur (AUS) 6-2 , 6-2, Zhang Shuai – Jelena Rybakina (12), Kazakhstan 6-4, 1-0 (Rybakina withdraws), Elise Mertens (19), Belgium – Irina Begu, Romania 6-3, 6-2, Daria Kasatkina ( 25), Russia – Magda Linette, Poland 6-2, 6-3, Danielle Collins (27), USA – Ana Konjuh, Croatia 6-4, 6-3, Tamara Zidansek (29), Slovenia – Heather Watson, United Kingdom 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, Marketa Vondrousova (31), Czech Republic – Liudmila Samsonova, Russia 6-2, 7-5.

Doubles, women (with Norwegian players):

First round: Ulrikke Eikeri / Alisona Bolsova, Norway / Spain – Elixane Lechemia / Ingrid Neel, France / USA 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.