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PHOTOS: Sharapova grinds into last four in Paris
Maria Sharapova again showed her resilience when she recovered from a poor start to down up-and-coming Spaniard Garbine Muguruza 1-6, 7-5, 6-1 on Tuesday and reach the French Open semi-finals.
The 2012 champion and last year's runner-up, who will meet Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in the last four, lost the first four games as she conceded the first set before regaining her composure against a player who knocked holder Serena Williams out in the second round.
An early break in the second set was all the seventh-seeded Russian needed to gain momentum.
The match turned Sharapova's way when she held for 3-1 in the third set after saving five break points in a game that lasted over 10 minutes.
"That was one of the most important games in the third set after that game I gained more confidence. That was the turning point," she told reporters.
Muguruza relied on her big first serve to keep the Russian at bay
Once a self-proclaimed 'cow on ice' on clay, Sharapova will be playing her fourth consecutive Roland Garros semi-final, a feat she also achieved at the Australian Open from 2005-08.
Under threatening skies on court Philippe Chatrier, she trailed 4-0 and when she threatened a comeback in the set, Muguruza relied on her big first serve to keep the Russian at bay.
The Spaniard broke to love to take the opening set, but Sharapova is not one to give up without a fight.
Two double faults and a forehand that sailed long gave her a break for 2-1 in the second as Muguruza's game lost in accuracy.
"When you're being a bit more aggressive on the second serves, taking a bit more chances, all of a sudden, she's not hitting so freely," Sharapova said.
"I think that changes a little bit. But it's a combination of the way you feel and also that little pressure that she begins to feel."
Decisive break
A double fault allowed the Venezuela-born Muguruza to break back for 3-3, but in the 11th game the world number 35 sent a backhand wide which gave Sharapova a decisive break.
After breaking early in the decider, Sharapova, who also came from a set down in her last-16 match against Sam Stosur, saved five break points in the fourth game, which featured six deuces.
The four-times Grand Slam champion took it with a service winner and never looked back.
Muguruza agreed it was probably the turning-point.
"It was really tough to lose this game because it was really hard," she said.
"It's tough now because I had the opportunity to win the match. But I need more experience in these kind of matches."
Canada's Bouchard overcomes Navarro challenge
Eugenie Bouchard won her leg of a possible Canadian double at the French Open on Tuesday, reaching the semi-finals by defeating Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro 7-6(4), 2-6, 7-5.
Suarez Navarro, 25, squandered a 5-2 lead in the first set, caught by Bouchard's attacking play that sent her 163 cm (5ft 4 in) opponent scurrying across the baseline, unable to dominate with her trademark one-handed backhand.
After stealing the first set, Bouchard, 20, took the early momentum in the second, breaking serve in the opening game only to be broken straight back by the 14th seed, who went on to break twice more as Bouchard's levels appeared to dip.
Reaching her second consecutive grand slam semi after the drama of two contested line calls in her winning game, the 18th seed will play Russian former world number one Maria Sharapova in the last four.
Gulbis glides past Berdych
Even Tomas Berdych's loud shirt was not enough to silence the swashbuckling Ernests Gulbis at the French Open on Tuesday, with the Latvian skittling out the sixth seed 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 in the quarter-finals.
Reformed playboy Gulbis, 18th seed on the Paris clay, extended his winning run after downing Swiss master Roger Federer in five sets in the previous round to reach a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time.
Czech Berdych, in his now familiar blue and white flowered shirt, seemed short of shots and ideas to squash the newly focused Gulbis who, at 25, has declared this season his "last train" for success after admitting wasting his talent since his breakthrough in 2007.
Gulbis peppered his play with almost casual-looking winners at times, as well as spirited exchanges with the umpire over contested calls, to set up a meeting with Serbian second seed Novak Djokovic in the last four.
Dynamic Djokovic too good for Raonic
World number two Novak Djokovic proved too hot to handle for Canadian hope Milos Raonic as the Serb qualified for the French Open semi-finals for the sixth time with a clinical 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-4 victory on Tuesday.
Djokovic, chasing the only Grand Slam title to elude him, next meets 18th-seeded Latvian Ernests Gulbis.
A couple of double faults in the 11th game put Raonic under pressure and Djokovic took full advantage, grabbing the opening set after unsettling his opponent with a dipping backhand.
The Serb then took the second-set tiebreak when Raonic missed a backhand.
The Canadian trailed 4-0 in the third set before retrieving one of the two breaks of serve.
Djokovic, however, ended the contest on his first match point when Raonic sent the ball wide.