Dinara Safina staged another remarkable comeback to reach the semi-finals of the French Open with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-0 win over fellow-Russian Elena Dementieva on Wednesday.
Two days after Marat Safin's younger sister knocked out world number one Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, she knocked out seventh seed Dementieva in almost identical fashion.
In both matches, Safina was a set and 5-2 down before she broke, then saved a match-point on her serve at 5-3, broke again, and then went on to take the ensuing tiebreak and rolling over her opponent.
The 13th seed, who prevailed after a two hour 36 minute-battle, will meet compatriot and fourth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova for a place in Saturday's final.
Kuznetsova ended the dream run of Estonian Kaia Kanepi, winning 7-5, 6-2 victory, sealing a place in the semi-finals for the second time in three years.
Kanepi, the first Estonian to reach the last eight of a Grand Slam event, led 4-2 in the first set but 2006 runner-up Kuznetsova hit back to win it and then eased through the second.
World number 49 Kanepi powered ahead in the first set and had a point to lead 5-2 but the former US Open champion broke back immediately and one more break in the 11th game helped her to pinch the opening set.
Another break in the third game of the second set knocked the fight out of Kanepi and Kuznetsova eased through to a semi-final.
