Kuznetsova moves on

The Russian, the only woman left in the draw with a Grand Slam title to her name (the 2004 US Open), struggled early on in the match, especially with her first serves, and went 4-2 down in the opening set.

However, she managed to get the break straight back and eventually took the set 7-5.

"I only played her a long time ago, so I didn't know what to expect," Kuznetsova said.

"Her ball was really heavy and I was a bit tight also in the start, because, you know I'm nervous and I want to do well. But then I figured my way and it became so much easier for me."

Her game was far more solid in the second set and after losing the opening game she rattled off five successive games, including two breaks to love, to move close to victory.

Kanepi made her serve it out, and then had a break point in the final game, but Kuznetsova recovered to win on her first match point.

The 2006 finalist will now face a fellow Russian in the semi-final in the form of 13th seed Dinara Safina.

"It just makes so much difference playing in the French Open. It's so big for me. It's so different motivation and I have it," she said.

"At those tournaments I was not on top of my game. I was prepared well but I was not ready mentally to play them.

"The semi-final is going to be a very tough match. Dinara is playing very well on clay courts. She won in Berlin, she won two matches here with match points down. She has had too many lives, so I have to be careful with her."

Kanepi, meanwhile, can still look back on a history-making tournament, as she became the first Estonian make the last eight of a Grand Slam.

"I have a lot of things to improve physically, mentally, and tennis-wise, so I'll take it as a progress," she said.

"But of course I'm a little disappointed that the tournament is finished right now. I feel a little empty."