Andy Murray will avoid the blistering Melbourne heat when he faces 31st seed Jurgen Melzer tomorrow in what could be a tough contest for the British No1.

Murray has been handed a 7.30pm start against the Austrian, which ensures cooler conditions for what could be a long battle with a player who was just two points away from knocking the world No4 out of the US Open last September.

He said: "Melzer is very tough if he plays well. The US Open was, I think, mentally quite a tough one for him because he told me afterwards he played one of his best matches. Obviously, I still came through and, physically, he was struggling a bit. I just think, mentally, I am going to feel better this time than at the US Open. "

Melzer and Murray have enjoyed winding each other up - particularly before last year's Davis Cup tie at Wimbledon - but the Austrian denies there is any animosity. He said: "We always have a bit of friction on the court because we both like to get vocal. But, off the court we are laughing and get on really well and I saw him after my doubles match yesterday and had a good talk about things. We don't have any problems and what was said before the Davis Cup tie was just 'trash' talk."

While Murray's main rivals have baulked at the Scot being among the favourites here, Melzer thinks he deserves the tag.

"I see Andy as a real contender because he has beaten Roger Federer three times in a row and Rafa Nadal," he said. "Of course, he got crushed in the US Open Final by Federer but he is very fit now so why not?

"My game is not at the top like when I played Andy at the US Open, but it's getting there. It is going to be a very tight and we have had some tough matches. He is a great player and, at the peak of his career, is beating all the other top players. He is the No1 contender for the title."

Ross Hutchins, the British Davis Cup player, and Australia's Stephen Huss lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the men's doubles second round to sixth seeds Marcin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg, of Poland.

Anne Keothavong and Bosnian partner Merverna Jugic-Salkic were defeated 6-1, 6-2 at the some stage of the women's event by seventh seeds Maria Kirilenko (Russia) and Flavia Pennetta (Italy).