Italian women and Paris seem to go together like, well, cheese and wine.

For the third time in three years, an Italian woman will be in the semi-finals of the French Open.

In 2010 and 2011 it was Francesca Schiavone, who went all the way to the title in 2010 and fell agonisingly short 12 months ago in the final; this time it is Sara Errani, a 25-year-old who is having the best year of her career.

Errani's 6-3, 7-6 win over Angelique Kerber of Germany was her first ever win against a top-10 player – at the 29th attempt – but, more importantly, sent her into her first grand slam semi-final.

At 5ft 4½in, Errani is one of the shortest players on tour, but what she lacks in height she makes up for in guile and tactical nous.

Time and again, Kerber – who was beaten last year in the first round at Wimbledon by Britain's Laura Robson before storming into the top 10 – was beaten by a drop shot, a lob volley or a deft angle.

The Italian has plenty of power, but it is her court-craft that proved too much for the German on a dull, overcast day when hitting outright winners was that bit more difficult.

"I remember [Schiavone's win] very good," Errani said. "I don't know if it is an inspiration but I'm not thinking about that. I want to play my game and try to do the good things that I usually try to do.

"I don't have too much power so I have to think more. I like to play tennis that way because it is difficult for me when a player is too strong. That is what I have to do."

Her opponent in the semi-finals will be Sam Stosur, the Australian who won her first grand slam title at the US Open last September.

The sixth seed saw off 15th seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-4, 6-1 to reach the semi-finals for the third time in the past four years, having lost to Schiavone in the final in 2010.

Cibulkova had taken out world No 1 Victoria Azarenka in the previous round but had no answer to the heavy-hitting Stosur, whose kick serve and big forehands proved too hot to handle.

Stosur has beaten Errani five times in a row but said there was no danger she would be complacent going into their semi-final tomorrow.

"She's had a very good year and won [three] tournaments," the Australian said. "She's very tough to play against, she's a tough competitor and makes you work for it.

"I think this is probably the breakthrough year for her, making quarter-finals at the Australian Open and now here at the French Open.

She's having a good year so you've got to respect that and be aware of that."

World No.2 Maria Sharapova, trying to complete the full set of grand slam titles, takes on 23rd seed Kaia Kanepi of Estonia today while Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova playing the last unseeded player, Yaroslava Shevdova of Kazakhstan.