Russia's Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova finally reached a Grand Slam semifinal at the 52nd time of asking.
She defeated Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina 6-7(2) 6-2 9-7 at the French Open on Tuesday.
Six times the 29-year-old had lost at the quarter-final stage of one of the four majors, but she used all her experience to overcome her doubles partner in a gruelling encounter.
Rybakina, 21, looked in control of her first Grand Slam quarter-final when she opened up a 4-1 lead in the first set but Pavlyuchenkova hit back to force a tiebreak.
Pavlyuchenkova took the momentum into the second set to level the match and kept her nose ahead in a tense finale.
Rybakina, who beat Serena Williams in the fourth round, held serve three times to stay alive in the third set.
But she failed at the fourth time of asking, ending the contest in tame fashion with a double-fault.
Pavlyuchenkova will face fellow semi-final debutant Tamara Zidansek for a place in Saturday's final after the Slovenian also came through a long battle, against Paula Badosa (7-5 4-6 8-6).
Substitute Jhon Duran scored two late goals as Aston Villa fought back to salvage a 3-3 home draw with Liverpool on Monday and take a significant step towards a place in the Champions League next season.
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard capitalised on dreadful defending to secure a 1-0 win against Manchester United that saw the Gunners climb back to the top of the Premier League, ensuring the title race will be decided on the final day.
UAE Team Emirates rider Tadej Pogacar has retained his overall lead after Dutchman Olav Kooij won stage nine of the Giro d'Italia on Sunday, pipping Jonathan Milan by half a wheel right at the finish line in a breathless sprint at the end of a 214-km ride from Avezzano to Naples.
Rory McIIroy claimed his fourth Wells Fargo Championship after a superb back nine saw him finish -17 par having trailed by two shots after seven holes.