France's Mary Pierce thrilled the Paris fans by crushing world number one Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 6-2 to reach the semi-finals of the French Open on Tuesday.
The only French player left in either singles draw, the 2000 champion will play Russia's Elena Likhovtseva for a place in Saturday's final.
Pierce, seeded 21, was leading 5-0 and about to serve for the match when a man in shorts invaded centre court before being quickly pulled away by security.
The Frenchwoman then wasted a match point and dropped serve. Davenport survived another match point two games later before bowing out by netting a backhand after 80 minutes of play.
Top seed Davenport, whose best result in her least favourite grand slam event was a semi-final appearance in 1998, had struggled on her path to the last eight, dropping a set in all her matches.
On Tuesday the American's left thigh was strapped and she seemed to have problems moving around the court.
Aged 30 and making her 15th appearance in her home event, Pierce will play in the semi-finals here for the third time.
Likhovtseva, seeded 16th, advanced by beating Bulgarian teenager Sesil Karatantcheva 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.
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