Arsenal’s hopes of a primary Premier League title in 19 years suffered a blow after the table-toppers have been held to a 3-3 draw by Southampton.

In tennis, world No 1 Novak Djokovic was upset within the Banja Luka Open quarterfinal, as he struggles to seek out his rhythm forward of the French Open. In ladies’s singles, Iga Swiatek will face Ons Jabeur in a rematch of final yr’s US Open ultimate.

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz is on target to defend his Barcelona title after beating Alejandro Davidovich Fokina to achieve the semi-final.

Here’s a have a look at the important thing tales from worldwide sporting occasions by way of the day for 21 April, 2023:

Southampton maintain Arsenal

Arsenal staged an unimaginable late fightback to rescue a 3-3 draw towards Southampton, however the Premier League leaders have been nonetheless left annoyed by a harmful outcome that put their title problem in jeopardy on Friday.

Mikel Arteta’s facet escaped with a degree regardless of trailing 3-1 with simply two minutes of regular time left on the Emirates Stadium.

Martin Odegaard’s purpose sparked Arsenal’s revival and Bukayo Saka snatched the equaliser in stoppage-time.

But, regardless of the thrilling escape, Arteta completed together with his head in fingers as a result of the Gunners will journey to second positioned Manchester City on Wednesday realizing it’s Pep Guardiola’s workforce who management the future of the title.

Arsenal are 5 factors away from City, however the champions have two video games in hand as a consequence of their involvement within the FA Cup semi-finals towards Sheffield United on Saturday.

If City win or draw towards Arsenal after which win their remaining matches, they are going to be topped champions it doesn’t matter what the north Londoners do.

After blowing successive two-goal leads in damaging 2-2 attracts towards West Ham and Liverpool of their earlier two matches, Arsenal at the very least confirmed large spirit to reverse the development.

“Obviously unhappy with the result. We made it very difficult again for ourselves,” Arteta mentioned.

“If you concede three like we did in a sloppy way it is very difficult to win, but the way we reacted I love my players more than ever.

“This young team reacts in a way that is incredible, when it is against the odds.”

Djokovic loses in Banja Luka

Novak Djokovic admitted Friday he wants to boost his recreation significantly forward of the French Open subsequent month after struggling a shock quarterfinal defeat to Dusan Lajovic in Banja Luka.

The world No 1 was removed from his finest as he misplaced 6-4, 7-6 (6) to the Seventieth-ranked Lajovic, having beforehand dropped simply 4 video games throughout two earlier conferences together with his Serbian compatriot.

“I was many levels below what I want,” mentioned Djokovic, who transformed solely certainly one of 16 break factors and let three set factors slip within the second-set tie-break.

“Playing like that, I can’t win against opponents who are so solid on this surface. But what can I do? It’s simply sport. I was trying but it wasn’t working.

“I didn’t feel very good physically on court. My legs were slow, I missed a lot of balls. I played well at times, but generally well below standard.”

With Rafael Nadal’s standing for Roland Garros unsure and Carlos Alcaraz additionally working his manner again from harm, Djokovic is focusing on a document twenty third males’s Grand Slam title on the French Open.

But his kind since returning to motion after lacking tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami final month over his refusal to get a Covid-19 vaccination is trigger for concern.

He has additionally alluded to an issue together with his elbow, which hampered him throughout his last-16 loss in Monte Carlo final week and was “not in ideal condition” in Banja Luka.

Djokovic is a two-time French Open champion, ending runner-up on 4 events as properly, and hopes to shake off the rust with two key warm-up occasions nonetheless on the schedule in Madrid and Rome.

“For Roland Garros, it’s not a secret. It’s the tournament where I want to play my best tennis and I’m working on it,” he mentioned.

“The conditions there are completely different to those in Monte Carlo and Banja Luka. There’s still quite a few weeks to play and to train.

“In past seasons (on clay), it’s always been a bit like that: a bad start, slow, and then a better game towards the end of the clay. I hope that will be the case this time too.”

As for Lajovic, whose lone ATP title got here on clay in Umag in 2019, he will tackle Miomir Kecmanovic – a 7-5, 6-0 winner over Jiri Lehecka – within the final 4 on Saturday.

Swiatek to face Jabeur

World No 1 and defending champion Iga Swiatek set-up a US Open ultimate rematch with Ons Jabeur when she battled into the Stuttgart last-four on Friday.

Swiatek defeated 2018 Stuttgart champion Karolina Pliskova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 whereas Tunisian world No 4 Jabeur eased previous Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil 6-3, 6-0.

Poland’s Swiatek had defeated Pliskova with out shedding a recreation once they met on clay within the 2021 Rome ultimate.

However, the Czech took management straightaway on Friday, racing to a 4-0 lead in a bit of over 1 / 4 of an hour.

Swiatek responded by sweeping the primary 4 video games of the second set to stage the competition and after breaking for 2-1 within the decider, was by no means troubled once more.

Swiatek holds a 3-2 profession lead over Jabeur with their most up-to-date conflict coming within the US Open ultimate final yr when the Pole received in straight units for her second main of 2022.

“The good thing maybe, Iga is not at the same level as she was last year,” mentioned Jabeur.

“I think maybe the key is to be unpredictable with Iga, not knowing which shots I’m going to do. I think that’s really good to disturb her a lot.”

World quantity two Aryna Sabalenka got here from a set and a break right down to see off Spanish wild card Paula Badosa and attain the semi-finals for the third consecutive yr.

The Belarusian received by way of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in two hours, half-hour and subsequent meets Russian Anastasia Potapova who ousted French fourth seed Caroline Garcia 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Stuttgart WTA outcomes (x denotes seeding; gamers representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing beneath the identify or flag of their international locations):

Quarterfinals

Iga Swiatek (POL x1) bt Karolína Pliskova (CZE) 4-6, 6-1, 6-2

Ons Jabeur (TUN x3) bt Beatriz Haddad Maia (BRA) 6-3, 6-0

Anastasia Potapova bt Caroline Garcia (FRA x4) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3

Aryna Sabalenka (x2) bt Paula Badosa (ESP) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4

Alcaraz in Barcelona semis

Carlos Alcaraz stayed on target to defend his Barcelona Open title Friday as he defeated Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 7-6 (5), 6-4 to maneuver into the semi-finals.

Alcaraz’s build-up to the French Open subsequent month has been slowed by hand and again issues which pressured him to tug out of Monte Carlo, and the highest seed was made to work arduous by Davidovich Fokina.

The teenager broke within the first recreation of the match however Davidovich Fokina hit again for 3-all earlier than Alcaraz quickly regained the higher hand.

However, he failed to shut out the primary set when serving at 5-4 and Davidovich Fokina fought his technique to inside two factors of taking the opener within the tie-break.

Alcaraz although held his nerve because the Thirty eighth-ranked Spaniard faltered, with Davidovich Fokina belting a forehand lengthy to ultimately give up the set.

The US Open champion saved six break factors within the third recreation of the second set after which broke instantly after for a 3-1 benefit.

Davidovich Fokina once more responded to get again on serve, and it stayed that manner till Alcaraz broke within the ultimate recreation to seal victory.

“It was really tough for me,” mentioned Alcaraz. “I started playing pretty well, serving for the first set. I was not able to win that game. I was going really fast, a lot of things on my mind.

“After the first set I was talking to myself, positive things, trying to play long rallies, trying to be there through the points, trying to feel more comfortable with myself.”

Alcaraz will face Dan Evans for a spot within the ultimate after the Twenty sixth-ranked Briton defeated Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina 2-6, 7-5, 6-3.

Stefanos Tsitsipas eased into the semi-finals earlier within the day, beating Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-2.

With textual content inputs from AFP

Updated by way of the day