UPDATE 6pm: It was a case of third time lucky for Marcos Baghdatis, after the Cypriot defeated third seed Gilles Simon in the Brisbane International quarterfinals on Pat Rafter Arena on Friday.
The unseeded Baghdatis had reached the quarterfinal stage at the past two Brisbane tournaments and finally broke through to the last four with a 6-4, 6-4 upset of the Frenchman.
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 and 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.”
Although not at his scintilating best, the world No.36 was too strong for his French opponent, with Simon seemingly struggling to find his usual rhythm.
The pair exchanged breaks in the opening games of the match before Baghdatis secured the crucial late break to take the first set 6-3.
Always a crowd favourite here after his memorable run to the Australian Open final in 2006, the 27-year-old continued to be the aggressor, claiming the second set 6-4 in similar fashion to the first.
Baghdatis will meet either seventh seed Jurgen Melzer or Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who knocked out second seed MIlos Raonic in the second round.