Semifinal date for unseeded Puerta
 |  Puerta had plenty to shout about after winning an all-Argentine affair |
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PARIS, France -- Mariano Puerta reached his first grand slam semifinal at the French Open on Wednesday, the Argentine's return to top flight tennis complete following a nine-month anti-doping ban.
The 26-year-old, who has hauled his ranking up from 440 to 37, outgunned compatriot Guillermo Canas 6-2 3-6 1-6 6-3 6-4.
Puerta now plays Russia's Nikolay Davydenko who outgunned Spaniard Tommy Robredo 3-6 6-1 6-2 4-6 6-4.
"I can't believe I've reached the semifinals, I really want to enjoy this moment," said Puerta who tested positive for the banned drug clenbuterol in 2003.
An anti-doping tribunal determined last year that Puerta had been prescribed the drug by a doctor to treat an acute asthma attack.
The player has always denied any wrongdoing and said on Wednesday his exile had made him stronger.
"I don't really feel bitter," he added. "I just don't think back ... don't waste my energy remembering things in the past. But I think it helped me to be stronger psychologically today, since every victory for me is even more important.
"When you go through a rough period, I'm sure that it just makes you become stronger. It's hard for people to sink you.
"Everything I went through helps me feel calmer, and it has helped me mature and overcome difficult moments."
Puerta will face either Spaniard Tommy Robredo or Russian Nikolay Davydenko in Friday's semifinal.
In the top half of the draw, world number one Roger Federer will face fourth seed Rafael Nadal.
Both Puerta and Canas learned their trade on the slow clay courts of Buenos Aires, and a long, tough test of patience and stamina was expected.
Ninth seed Canas had been the favorite but on the Roland Garros centre court there was nothing to separate the former junior team mates.
For five sets the energetic Canas scurried and chased, shovelling the ball back with his compact, economic strokes.
Puerta, a runner-up in the boy's singles here in 1995, threw everything at his opponent, his looping left-handed shots finding ever-more acute angles before Canas cracked for the last time.
The 27-year-old ninth seed simply ran out of ideas.
"I think if I could go back and change something, I'd change Puerta," he laughed.
"I was disappointed. I think disappointed is the right word. My expectation was to be in the semifinals, and it was a very tough battle between the two of us."
