World number one Dinara Safina came from behind to survive her first real test at the French Open on Tuesday, reaching the semi-finals after beating feisty Belarussian teenager Victoria Azarenka 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
The Russian, who had dropped only five games in her first four matches, more than doubled that figure in the 23-minute first set, as the ninth seed gave Safina a taste of her own medicine with some aggressive crosscourt shots.
"At the beginning it was going too fast, there was nothing I could do," said Safina after setting up a semi-final against either compatriot Maria Sharapova or Slovak Dominika Cibulkova.
The 19-year-old Belarussian, making her Gand Slam quarter-final debut, made her opponent work hard to hold the second game of the second but Safina then racked up a double break to lead 4-1.
"At 4-1, I really struggled but I was strong in the key moments. It was a good test for me, she's in great form," said the 23-year-old Safina, who is seeking a maiden Grand Slam title.
When Azarenka gained one break back for 4-2 Safina slammed her racket on the ground before having to walk over to her bag to swap it for another one.
That was the only real show of frustration from Safina against an opponent whose own racket was often the victim of her anger and the Russian kept a cool head despite being pegged back to 4-4 after a beautiful forehand down the line from Azarenka.
Safina seized the advantage in the next game and served out the set, levelling the match when her opponent's forehand return flew long.
The top seed quickly went a break up in the third set and seized control with another break in the seventh game when Azarenka was rooted to the spot after failing to guess which way Safina would send her forehand.
Safina clinched victory in the next game when Azarenka's service return clipped the net and bounced out.
With her four previous matches having averaged just under an hour long, Safina got her first proper workout of the tournament in a one-hour-52-minute encounter.
