Pavlyuchenkova, the world number 32, beat doubles partner Elena Rybakina 6-7 (2-7), 6-2, 9-7 in her first quarter-final appearance at Roland Garros since 2011.
“There are so many emotions to reach a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time,” said 29-year-old Pavlyunchenkova who had fallen at the quarter-final stage at the majors on six previous occasions since her 2007 debut. “I always had the tennis. Mentally I’m probably more solid now. Just trying to play smarter tennis. I’m working harder.”
Rybakina dumped out Serena Williams in the previous round and raced into a 4-1 lead in the opener. Pavlyuchenkova broke back in the seventh game before the 6ft (1.84m) Russian-born Kazakh dominated the tiebreak.
The Russian levelled the tie courtesy of breaks in the sixth and eighth games of the second set.
In a tense decider, there were four breaks in the first six games before Rybakina cracked in the 16th game, going down tamely on her sixth double fault.
Earlier, the unheralded Zidansek became the first woman representing Slovenia to advance to the last four at a Grand Slam after beating in-form Spaniard Paula Badosa 7-5, 4-6, 8-6.
“It feels overwhelming. It’s hard to take it in this fast,” said Zidansek, who had never gone beyond the second round of a Slam before this year’s Roland Garros.
