So when this quarter-final resumes, it will be with Argentine 11th seed Diego Schwartzman leading world number one Rafael Nadal by a set and a break.

All to play for...

Jonathan Jurejko's rain dance paying off in Paris.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

The covers are OFF! And, equally significantly, the posh seats behind the baseline are being wiped down by super-strength industrial blue towel.

“Ladies and gentlemen, play sound resume soon,” says the man on the Chatrier microphone.

Cue applause from those still waiting inside.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

Image source, BBC Sport

Hurrah! The rain has stopped in Paris and a small army of groundstaff, four on each side of the court, have their brushes out.

It looks like a game of water curling. Sweep, sweep, sweep.

That estimate of a restart at 6:15pm local time isn't looking too wide of the mark...

Five minutes until the players are due to return from a rain delay... fingers crossed.

Maria Sharapova, who lost 6-2 6-1 to Garbine Muguruza earlier today in the women's quarter-finals, said: "On paper it is a step in the right direction, but it hard to assess a single tournament, you have to put things in perspective over the past four weeks.

"At the start of the year I was losing some first-round matches.

"She (Muguruza) did a lot of things better than I did, she was the aggressive one, had a lot more depth on the ball and served better than I did."

Image source, EPA

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

Image source, BBC Sport

No play until 18:15 local time in Paris - that's 17:15 BST - an announcement informs us.

It is still raining but I can see clear blue sky on the horizon. Now which way is the wind blowing?

As Alanis Morissette would say, it's like rain on a Wednesday... or something like that.

Probably doesn't feel very ironic for Diego Schwartzman, though. The Argentine is a set and a break to the good against a slightly off-colour Rafael Nadal.

I imagine he's itching to get back out there and crack on with this one.

Garbine Muguruza will play world number one Simona Halep in the women's singles semi-finals tomorrow after beating Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-1.

"She (Halep) is the best player so I'm excited to play a good semi-final and it is good to play again tomorrow.

"I go out there and I love playing tennis and love playing on Chatrier - the big stage."

Image source, EPA

Image source, EPA

World number one Simona Halep saw off 12th seed Angelique Kerber earlier to keep her hopes of a first French Open - and first Grand Slam - title alive.

But the Romanian had to fight back from a set down to win 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-2.

"It's always a tough match when I play against her. After the first set I just stayed strong and didn't give up," said Halep.

"I missed a lot in the beginning. I tried to do too much. I changed the tactics a bit and it worked."

Grab a cuppa... we'll pick this one up again as soon as the players return to court.

We are paused on Court Suzanne Lenglen as well. It is 5-5 with Juan Martin del Potro 0-30 ahead in the 11th game with Marin Cilic serving.

Jonathan Jurejko
BBC Sport at Roland Garros

A few jeers as the umpire informs Chatrier there will be a break until the rain goes away.

The Roland Garros staff aren't in a hurry to get the covers on though. They leisurely drag a couple of wide rakes across the red dirt, move the advertising hoardings and then walk them over about four minutes after the players depart.

Wimbledon would have had the entire job done in about 30 seconds.

More walkie-talkie action, the weather office on speed dial...and the players are being sent to the waiting room.

Hopefully just a brief rain delay in Paris.

Image source, Reuters

No mistake from Diego Schwartzman this time.

Dancing around a short ball, the Argentine pounces with aplomb to hammer a forehand into the space vacated by the scuttling Spaniard.

Schwartzman breaks.

Image source, Getty Images

A Nadal backhand clips the net but it drops on to the line, Schwartzman can't make the most of the slower ball and Nadal rescues one break point.

Image source, Reuters

That's just long from Nadal! He looks to the sky... it's a triple break point chance for Schwartzman.

Gasps from the Chatrier crowd, Rafa on the run tugs a backhand from close range into the heart of the net.

Schwartzman is equal to a forehand flurry that follows, and eventually forces Nadal to meet with the net again after a hearty exchange.

0-30.

Garbine Muguruza cruised into the women's semi-finals earlier today with a convincing 6-2 6-1 win over Maria Sharapova and has just posted the following on Twitter.

Image source, .

Schwartzman smashes a backhand into the tramlines.

Nadal breaks back.