Daria Kasatkina downed fellow Russian Veronika Kudermetova 6-4 7-6 (7-5) on Wednesday to reach the French Open semi-finals for the first time. Kasatkina, the 20th seed, has never managed the last four in any grand slam before.
She prevailed in front of partly empty stands after a previous late night on Court Philippe Chatrier for the Rafa Nadal-Novak Djokovic match.
Kudermetova needed a medical timeout for an apparent foot problem while leading 6-5 in the second set.
Kasatkina’s final winner was a superb drop-shot.
Kasatkina next faces the winner of the quarter-final between number one seed Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula.
American Coco Gauff will take on Italian Martina Trevisan in the other semi-final.
The Russian pair will not be able to play in the next grand slam after Wimbledon banned Russians and Belarusians due to the war in Ukraine.