Reputations meant little at an upset-riddled Brisbane International on Friday but Andy Murray still managed to enhance his by booking a semi-final berth.
Three seeds fell in the quarter-finals before reigning US Open champion Murray snapped the trend with a 6-4 7-6 (7-3) win over Uzbekistan’s world No.43 Denis Istomin.
World No.3 Murray might still be buzzing from ending Britain’s 76-year wait for a grand slam winner but he would have been forgiven for feeling nervous before arriving on Pat Rafter Arena.
The 25-year-old had a target on his head after third seed Gilles Simon of France, No.4 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine and seventh-seeded Austrian Jurgen Melzer were all ousted.
But defending champion Murray oozed class as he overcame the lanky 26-year-old Istomin in just over an hour and a half.
Murray will take on Japan’s Kei Nishikori in Saturday’s semi-finals after the fifth seed downed last year’s finalist, world No.18 Dolgopolov, 6-4 7-6 (7-3).
Nishikori looked forward to using Murray as a timely yardstick after the rising star finished 2012 with a year-end best world ranking of 19th.
“He (Murray) could be the next No.1 player so it’s going to be tough,” said Nishikori who dismissed concerns over a knee complaint.
“I haven’t beaten those top four guys yet.
“It’s important to play with those guys and to try to win.
“It (2012) is going to be a big step year for me. I am going to try to get top 10 hopefully – that’s the goal for this year.”
The upsets continued when Melzer succumbed to Bulgarian world No.48 Grigor Dimitrov in just under an hour 6-3 6-2.
At 21, Dimitrov was the youngest player left in the men’s draw – and at 31, world No.29-ranked Melzer was the oldest.
Dimitrov – the youngest player in the world top 50 at year’s end – showed the form that had already accounted for second-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic in Brisbane, blasting 17 aces.
He will line up in the semis against Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis after the former Australian Open finalist set the trend for the day by upsetting third-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-3 6-4.
World No.36 Baghdatis – ranked 20 places lower than Simon – maintained his Midas touch in Australia with the victory.
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.
“The people here, you have so much positive energy from the fans,” Baghdatis said.
“I think it’s a great privilege for an athlete to come here and be shown so much love.”
There has been no shortage of off-court love either – Baghdatis celebrated the birth of his first child, daughter Zahara, in October.
“My wife and my baby are not here but they are great,” he said.
“It was the best year of my life last year. It (becoming a father) helps a person stabilise and see life a bit different.”