UPDATE 8.45pm: Reputations meant little at an upset-riddled Brisbane International tennis tournament 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 as his coach Ivan Lendl looked on.
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 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.
The Olympic champion suffered lapses of concentration in his previous clash – a three-set win over Australian qualifier John Millman – while Lendl was in transit to Brisbane.
And he threatened to become distracted again on Friday as long shadows crept across the court, causing several mis-hits.
But defending champion Murray regained his composure with Lendl in the stands and 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 semifinals.
“It was quite a tough time of day to play on this court because of the shadows – I was finding it quite tough to track the ball,” Murray said.
“At the US Open, you get it basically when the sun is coming down over the stadium.
“I don’t think they need to reschedule matches – it’s just a tricky time to play.”
Lendl appeared to be a calming influence on Murray who won the Brisbane title last year in his first tournament under the eight-time grand slam winner, sparking a breakthrough 2012 for the Scot.
Murray next takes on Nishikori, one of the young guns along with Australia’s Bernard Tomic who the world No.3 believes could make 2013 their memorable year.
“I think there will definitely come a moment when someone is gonna break through,” he said.
“Tomic, I really like the way he plays. I enjoy watching him the most because he plays with a lot of variety.”