Jennifer Capriati turns the clock back 14 years on Thursday when she plays her fourth semi-final at Roland Garros.
The 28-year-old, who made history when she became the youngest woman to reach the semi-finals of a Grand Slam back in 1990 aged 14, takes on Russian Anastasia Myskina in a bid for her second French Open title.
The French Open means a lot to Capriati, who after suffering from teenage burnout returned to win one of her three Grand Slam titles here in 2001.
But injuries over the past year including a back problem which forced her out of the Australian Open have hampered the New Yorker who has won just one WTA title since successfully defending her Australian Open title in 2002.
She desperately wants to win and her battling spirit drove her to her second straight win over long-time nemesis Serena Williams in the quarter-finals, after failing to win a single match against Williams in three years.
Capriati, the seventh seed, feels that adjustments she has made in training while working with new coach Heinz Cunthardt have helped her near her peak, with the hard work beginning to pay off.
"I feel like it's right up there, the kind of tennis I'm playing," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"I feel like it's right up there, the kind of tennis I'm playing," she said.
{{/usCountry}}"It's just satisfaction knowing that if you do work hard and you do really want something bad enough and you do all the right things that eventually they will come. And I guess this proves it to me because it came," said Capriati.
This time out it will be Myskina who will be the underdog havingwon just once in six previous meetings with Capriati on her way to taking her seventh WTA title Doha title on a hard court surface this year.
But Capriati although confident at having won both of their meetings on clay, including the quarter-finals of Berlin this year, knows that the 22-year-old from Moscow will be no pushover.
"Myskina's a good player and she's consistent," said Capriati of her opponent who disposed of Venus Williams in straight sets en route to the semis.
Myskina, seeded sixth, whose previous best here was the second round last year, has been improving steadily since reaching her third Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open.
"I know the next match is going to be really tough because Jennifer is a great player and I know how much she wants to win right now," said Myskina.
"I do believe that I can beat Jennifer. But you never know because Jennifer also believes that she can win. It's going to be a tough game for both of us and the person who is stronger mentally will win."
An all-Russian final is now a possiblity with Elena Dementieva, like Myskina, bidding to bring home their first woman's title from Roland Garros.
Dementieva, the ninth seed, who dumped former champion Lindsay Davenport and home favourite Amelie Mauresmo en route takes on Argentinia's 14th seeded clay courter Paola Suarez who has also achieved a personal best in Grand Slams with her final four place.
The 22-year-old Dementieva is eager to grasp the opportunity against Suarez, a player the Russian has beaten twice before in their three meetings, but who has advanced without dropping a set and with an hour less on court than the four other semi-finalists.
"It's a very good moment right now with some injured players, maybe some players who retire soon. So it's a good chance for me and maybe Myskina you know to take advantage and go forward," said Dementieva, whose previous best at the French Open was the fourth round in 2002.
"But you know Paola is a very tough player on clay court. Last time we played I lost to her. So I have all the respect for her. And I know it's going to be a tough match for me."