I've never really noticed it before, but Andy Murray actually looks a lot like Action Man.

The toy that is, the plastic, bendy, square-jawed doll that parents used to buy for their sons in the days when gender stereotyping ensured they baulked at buying Barbie.

Unlike Action Man however, Andy has nuts.

And he needed them here tonight in Melbourne, against Grigor Dimitrov, one of the rising stars of the tennis tour and a man who ended Murray's Wimbledon hopes last year.

For most of this match Andy looked second best. Even though he took the first set and only lost the second in a tie-break. Dimitrov, younger with seemingly limitless stamina was pounding Andy's best shot back at him with interest and the Scot was clearly rattled.

But this is why the big man is so good - even when he's playing below par, he has the ability to pull it out of the fire, his athleticism and sheer will to win once again to the fore. It was impressive to witness.

Dimitrov is currently stepping out with women's champion Maria Sharapova and for a while it looked odds-on that he'd be joining his squeeze in the quarter finals.

This wouldn't have gone down too well with the hundreds of Scots and ex-pats in the crowd or, for that matter, the majority of Australians, most of whom were also in the Murray camp.

The reason?

As the clock ticked over to midnight, signifying the advent of Australia Day, the locals at Rod Laver Arena and around the entire country were celebrating the earlier victory of Nick Kyrgios, a 19 year old Aussie and the man the winner of this tie would meet.

Oh Andy is a Scot all right and recognised as such, but to patriotic, chip-on-the-shoulder Australians, he's also British and therefore fair game for a flogging.

Australia V Britain, no matter who's representing the Old Dart, is still a big deal.

And on Australia Day? Bring it on.

Which is how it transpired. Andy wasn't on his best form, in fact he was riding his luck - quite a lot of it; line ball calls invariably went his way and even his winning shot was a net cord - but he finally did it in four tension packed sets.

Ironically since it's Andy who has the reputation for displaying the odd bit of petulance, it was Dimitrov's petted lip that proved to be his downfall. Seemingly coasting toward victory in set four, it all started to go west for him when, after appearing to be calmness personified, he inexplicably smashed his racquet into smithereens after losing a crucial point.

Sensing an opening, Murray stepped in and minutes later it was all over.

As the crowd started to melt away into the early Melbourne morning however, the talk was of nothing else but the next match.

Murray V Krygios. Britain V Australia.

Scotland V Australia, if you don't mind.

And guess what? Andy has never lost against an Aussie.

Never. Ever.

He couldn't.

Could he?