Scots star Andy Murray missed the chance to re-enter the world's top 100 as he crashed out of the Australian Open in the second round.
The Dunblane-born former world No.1 has battled back from hip issues that threatened to end his career, reaching his first ATP final since 2019 at the Sydney Tennis Classic.
Murray beat Nikoloz Basilashvili in an epic match on the way to that final, and repeated the feat at the Australian Open having been granted a wildcard entry.
Beating Japan's Taro Daniel would have seen the former Wimbledon champion re-enter the world's top 100 and end his reliance on those wildcard entries for Grand Slams but it proved a match too far for the 34-year-old.
Murray, five times a beaten finalist Down Under, dropped only his second service game as the world number 120 put him on the back foot immediately. Taro is the lowest-ranked opponent ever to beat him at a Grand Slam.
Daniel saved two break points at 3-4 and went on to wrap up the set 6-4.
Murray lacked the usual variation his game is known for and struggled to ask questions of his opponent, who broke again with three superb winners early in the second set.
Daniel was in fine form to close it out with relative ease, but the Scot didn't battle back with a metal hip by giving up easily.
A hard-fought third set gave some hope of a classic Murray comeback but an unforced error in the ninth match of the set gave his opponent two break points.
The Japanese missed with the first but Murray hit the net in the next rally to leave his Australian Open hanging by a thread.
And Daniel took full advantage to serve out a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win.
