Amelie Mauresmo set up a semi-final re-match with champion Serena Williams after overcoming Argentina's Paola Suarez 6-0, 5-7, 6-1 in a see-saw contest at Wimbledon on Wednesday.
The fourth seeded Frenchwoman, who missed last year's grasscourt Grand Slam through injury, will face Serena in a repeat of the 2002 semi-final which the American won 6-2, 6-1.
Bidding to reach her second Grand Slam final after the 1999 Australian Open, Mauresmo will have to be on top form to topple the top seed, who thrashed Jennifer Capriati 6-1, 6-1 on Wednesday.
"It's great," the Frenchwoman said. "She is obviously playing really well so I am looking forward to it.
"I had some troubles a few years ago to find what my game was on this surface but when I reached the semi-final a couple of years ago, I thought to myself 'okay, that's the way I need to play'," she added snapping her fingers.
Away from the pressure cooker of the French Open, where public expectation always seems to scupper her hopes of a maiden grand slam title, the amiable Mauresmo is hitting freely on Wimbledon's grass.
"Coming out of the French wasn't very easy for me but I went back to quickly after that," said the 24-year-old, who lost in the last eight at Roland Garros.
"I feel I'm taking the opportunities I have, I'm playing good aggressive tennis and hopefully I'll keep going."
Mauresmo looked to be in a hurry to get off court as she barely put a foot wrong in the opening set against the ninth seed, who may well have been suffering the affects of playing six sets in singles and doubles on Tuesday.
Suarez hit only one winner in the entire set while gifting the Frenchwoman easy points with 10 unforced errors.
But the Argentine turned things around in the second, frustrating the Frenchwoman with her unerring accuracy from the baseline and forcing Mauresmo into numerous mistakes.
"Going out on court I felt I had a good chance and thought if I played aggressively I'd do well," said Mauresmo.
"I obviously wanted to make sure I didn't allow her to play her own game as she likes to hit long rallies. But it didn't go that way in the second set."
Mauresmo bided her time against Suarez, who was in unchartered territory having never progressed beyond the fourth round in her nine previous visits, and turned things around in the deciding set.
She wrapped up the match in one hour 42 minutes with a crunching forehand winner.
More from rediff