'Never seen this': Tennis world erupts over 'crazy' French Open drama

Tamara Zidansek and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova have advanced to a shock French Open semi-final in dramatic scenes at Roland Garros on Tuesday.

Zidansek, the first woman representing Slovenia to ever make a grand slam semi-final, and Russian veteran Pavlyuchenkova both prevail in nail-biting three-set marathons that went well past the two-hour mark.

'THIS IS CRAZY': Fans rage over 'disgraceful' French Open farce

'NOT RIGHT': Ugly Serena Williams truth in Roger Federer furore

World No.85 Zidansek 'fought for her life' to overcome Spain's 33rd seed Paula Badosa 7-5 4-6 8-6 in two hours and 26 minutes.

Pavlyuchenkova, who had previously reached six grand slam quarter-finals but never went beyond, then outlasted doubles partner Elena Rybakina in an even longer marathon 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 9-7.

The 29-year-old Pavlyuchenkova, seeded No.31, admitted it was "mentally really hard" to beat the woman she'll be partnering in Wednesday's doubles quarter-finals as she looks forward to next facing Zidansek, six years her junior, in Thursday's semis.

With grand slam champions Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams and Bianca Andreescu on their side of the draw, no one could have predicted that Zidansek and Pavlyuchenkov would make the final four.

In fact, for the first time since the Open era began in 1968, six of the final eight women advanced to their very first quarter-final at grand slam level.

Greek No.17 seed Maria Sakkari will face defending champion and hot favourite Iga Swiatek in the other quarter-final, while Czech doubles specialist Barbora Krejcikova faces US teen sensation Coco Gauff.

The crazy turn of events left the tennis world in disbelief after a plethora of big names either withdrew or crashed out of the women's draw in the early stages.

"Covered nearly 100 Grand Slam tournaments and never seen this," tweeted veteran tennis writer Christopher Clarey.

"Six 1st-time major quarterfinalists. Only one of the quarterfinalists has been to a Slam semi and that was Iga Swiatek last year here (she won it all)."

Zidansek and Pavlyuchenkova in unlikely semi-final

Asked how it felt to be in the last-four, having never been beyond the second round, Zidansek said: "It feels overwhelming, sounds crazy."

Playing the tournament of her life after another gutsy first round marathon defeat of No.6 seed Andreescu, Zidansek found her most redoubtable form at 6-6 in the final set, saving three break points before earning a critical hold.

Badosa then delivered another nervy game as Zidansek snatched two match points, taking advantage of the second by cracking her 48th winner of a remarkable encounter.

A three-time junior national snowboard champ who gave up because she didn't like the cold, Zidansek is the first Slovenian woman to make the semis of a grand slam.

And 10 years since she first reached the quarters at Roland Garros as one of the rising stars of the circuit, Pavlyuchenkova is finally back on the big stage.

The Russian believes she's a more accomplished, mature figure and though she got blitzed by the flat-hitting power of Kazakhstan's No.21 seed Rybakina in the opening set, just as Serena Williams had been blown away in the previous round.

"I knew what to expect from her. The only thing you can do is hang in there," said Pavlyuchenkova.

"I believed in my chances. I know I'm a fighter, so I will fight till the end. That's what I did."

with AAP

Watch 'Mind Games', the new series from Yahoo Sport Australia exploring the often brutal mental toil elite athletes go through in pursuit of greatness:

Click here to sign up to our newsletter for all the latest and breaking stories from Australia and around the world.