HEARTBREAK! Qualifier Taro Daniel knocks Andy Murray out of the 2022 Australian Open

HEARTBREAK! Qualifier Taro Daniel knocks Andy Murray out of the 2022 Australian Open

Taro Daniel and Andy Murray

Andy Murray‘s quest to do well at the 2022 Australian Open comes to a halt in the second round on Thursday. Japanese qualifier beats the 3-time grand slam champion in straight sets 6-4,6-4,6-4 to make it to the third round of the Australian Open. Murray was looking for his 50th win at the Oz Open but he’ll have to wait for at least a year to do it.

Murray was visibly tired from the start- possibly because of his marathon first round match against Nikoloz Basilashvili. Daniel was on money right from the start and served very well. He even got an early break of serve only to be get broken back by Murray. The Brit played his heart out in the long rallies but it was the Japanese who got the decisive break and won the set 6-4.

The 5-time AO finalist was looking to slow things down and used a lot of slices in the second set. But his athletic capacity gave up after a point as he struggled to stay in long rallies. The Japanese eventually got the break and he won the set 6-4. The third set too was closely fought as both players were on serve till the very end. Daniel once again got the decisive break and wrapped out the set 6-4 to knock Murray out.

FS Video

Dream run for Taro Daniel

Taro Daniel
Taro Daniel

2022 has been amazing for Daniel so far. He qualified for the main draw of Adelaide International 1 and also defeated Lorenzo Musetti in the first round. Since the last week, Daniel dominated the qualifiers to make it to the main draw of the Australian Open. He then defeated fellow qualifier Marcelo Tomas Barrios Vera in the first round before upsetting Murray in the next. He is yet to drop a set all tournament and could be a dark horse.

He will next face either American Steve Johnson or 11th seed Italian Jannik Sinner in the third round on Saturday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IETuC7ol0Q

Also read: ‘It is a little to ambitious to think he is going to win it!’ Mats Wilander on Rafael Nadal’s chances of winning the 2022 Australian Open, says Novak Djokovic is going to win his 21st major and ‘sail into the sunset’