Her win followed Kostyuk’s earlier straight-sets upset of four-time winner Iga Swiatek and put her within reach of completing the career set of Grand Slam semifinals.

Svitolina was ebullient about what the result meant for her nation, 17 years after Andrei Medvedev made the second of his two last-four appearances.

“There’s going to be Ukraine in the semifinal, so it's already amazing,” she said. “I think it couldn't be a better tournament for us. It's, of course, an amazing achievement for Ukrainian tennis. We have so many great players, top 100, and coming up as well.

“I think in such a difficult situation right now, in the war with the invasion, it's really, really difficult, and I think it's really inspiring for the next generation to really believe that it is possible one day to play in this sport and win.”

In a seventh clash between the two mums on Mother’s Day in France, Bencic charged out of the blocks with a double break after just 27 minutes, standing toe-to-toe with the Ukrainian from the baseline and completely comfortable coming forward to finish points at net.

Trailing 2-5, Svitolina finally settled to peg back one of the breaks to love, and it was enough to stop the rot.

Despite conceding the opening set a game later to her on-song opponent – who was vying for her fifth Grand Slam quarterfinal – it proved a crucial confidence shift.

With a spring in her step and dictating from the baseline on her improved forehand, Svitolina jumped to a 5-2 second-set lead. Though she stumbled as she attempted to serve it out, she capitalised on back-to-back errors from the Swiss to break again and level the clash after 96 minutes.

“Belinda came back really strong after it was 5-2 to me, so I tried to be just mentally there, mentally still locked in and bring the fight,” she said. “I found my opportunity to close that set 6-4 on the return, but I feel when you are playing in the late stages of the tournament, you have to be giving yourself a good opportunity to play, to compete.

“I was very happy with the way I was just a good competitor [in that] tricky second set where she was almost coming back in it.”

Her break to snare that set triggered a run of seven straight games, which sealed her fifth win against the 29-year-old and her sixth Roland-Garros quarterfinal.

Having barely scraped past Anna Bondar in a match tiebreak in the opening round, the 31-year-old was more assured as she entered the second week.

“Of course, lots of work, lots of mental work, physical work, tennis work, all of that. I feel like I'm in a good place right now mentally, physically, as well,” she said.

“Whatever the outcome will be from the match in the quarters, I feel really proud of the effort that I have been able to put from the beginning of the season, as well.

“I feel that I picked up a really good level that I could sustain, which is really important in tennis. You have to be at your best and to challenge the big players to be able to win big titles.”