Former Australian Open finalist Marcos Baghdatis has cruised into the Brisbane International semi-finals by upsetting third-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon in straight sets on Friday.

World No.36 Baghdatis – ranked 20 places lower than Simon – maintained his Midas touch in Australia by clinching the 6-3 6-4 victory at Pat Rafter Arena.

Baghdatis, 27, extended his record Down Under to 38-14 which includes his sole grand slam final appearance in 2006 and his last ATP World Tour title in Sydney three years ago.

The Cypriot has not dropped a set on his way to booking his maiden Brisbane International semi-final appearance.

In other quarter-finals on Friday, fourth seed Alexandr Dolgopolov of the Ukraine will take on fifth seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, top seed Andy Murray battles Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin and seventh-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer meets Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.