Defending champion on the Monte Carlo Masters Stefanos Tsitsipas misplaced to American Taylor Fritz within the quarterfinal. Former world No 1 Daniil Medvedev additionally misplaced out.

Sticking with tennis, Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet held agency to assist France lead Britain 2-0 of their Billie Jean King Cup playoffs.

In soccer, Manchester United have been dealt a blow as their most important defender Lisandro Martinez suffered a fracture in his foot and can miss the remainder of the season.

Here’s a have a look at the important thing tales from worldwide sporting occasions by means of the day for 15 April, 2023:

Defending champion Tsitsipas loses

Stefanos Tsitsipas’ bid for a 3rd consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title was ended after a straight-sets loss to American Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals on Friday, whereas Daniil Medvedev was knocked out by Holger Rune.

Second seed Tsitsipas was on a 12-match profitable streak within the principality however slumped to a 6-2, 6-4 loss in solely 70 minutes.

Fritz will face Russian Andrey Rublev on Saturday within the final 4 as he makes an attempt to achieve the ultimate of a clay-court occasion for the primary time.

“I thought my level today was very high. I think I played a very good match. Beating him here gives me a lot of confidence,” Fritz mentioned.

“It has given me the reassurance I need to know I can play well on clay.”

Fritz’s win was his first in opposition to Tsitsipas after three earlier defeats by the Greek, together with a five-set thriller on the Australian Open final 12 months.

The world quantity 10 – who reached a career-high rating of fifth earlier this 12 months – is into his third Masters semi-final, with the different two each coming at Indian Wells the place he gained the 2022 title.

In different outcomes, Daniil Medvedev’s run of 5 successive finals got here to a halt as the previous world No 1 slipped to a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Danish rising star Rune.

Medvedev gained his fourth title in 5 occasions on the Miami Masters earlier this month however has nonetheless by no means gained an ATP clay-court match.

The 19-year-old Dane, who reached the French Open quarter-finals final 12 months, is searching his first title of the season and can subsequent play Jannik Sinner.

“He played good. He’s a great player on clay. I feel like that’s the surface that suits him the best,” Medvedev mentioned of Rune.

Sinner cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 victory over fellow Italian teenager Musetti who didn’t again up his sensible efficiency in opposition to Novak Djokovic.

The 21-year-old Sinner has reached the semi-finals in any respect three Masters occasions up to now this 12 months.

Meanwhile, Andrey Rublev, who misplaced to Tsitsipas within the 2021 last, earlier booked his place within the semi-finals with a 6-1, 7-6 (5) win over German qualifier Jan-Lennard Struff.

The fifth seed gained six straight video games after being damaged within the opening recreation and clinched victory in a tense second-set tie-break.

Rublev has misplaced 4 of his earlier six conferences with Fritz, however the pair have by no means performed one another on clay.

Results from the ATP Monte Carlo Masters on Friday (x denotes seeding; gamers representing Russia and Belarus are banned from competing below the title or flag of their international locations):

Quarterfinals

Jannik Sinner (ITA x7) bt Lorenzo Musetti (ITA x16) 6-2, 6-2

Holger Rune (DEN x6) bt Daniil Medvedev (x3) 6-3, 6-4

Andrey Rublev (x5) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-1, 7-6 (7/5)

Taylor Fritz (USA x8) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x2) 6-2, 6-4

Lisandro Martinez injured

Manchester United have been hit by a double defensive damage blow after Lisandro Martinez was dominated out for the remainder of the season and Raphael Varane sidelined for the subsequent few weeks.

Both gamers have been damage in Thursday’s 2-2 draw in opposition to Sevilla within the Europa League quarter-final first leg at Old Trafford, wherein United conceded two late personal objectives.

Martinez, who gained the World Cup with Argentina in December, pulled up in ache gripping his proper ankle late within the match and was taken away on a stretcher.

United had already misplaced fellow first-choice centre-back Varane to damage at half-time and his alternative Harry Maguire scored an personal objective in stoppage time.

Manager Erik ten Hag was unable to offer an replace when he confronted the media at lunchtime on Friday however the membership later confirmed the severity the accidents.

“Lisandro Martinez has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his foot,” United mentioned in a assertion.

“However, the Argentinian defender is expected to make a full recovery in time to be ready for the start of next season.”

The assertion added: “Lisandro’s defensive partner Raphael Varane was also substituted with an injury at half-time in the same game and is expected to be out for a few weeks.”

Martinez – in his first season at Old Trafford – and Varane have established themselves as Ten Hag’s most popular centre-back pairing and their absence leaves a void as United look to finish the marketing campaign on a excessive.

France shut in on BJK Cup Finals qualification

Caroline Garcia and Alize Cornet put France getting ready to qualifying for the Billie Jean King Cup Finals on Friday with a 2-0 lead in opposition to hosts Britain.

World No 5 Garcia was pushed exhausting by world No 154 Katie Boulter earlier than battling by means of 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2) in three hours and 26 minutes in Coventry.

Cornet, ranked 70, then secured the second level with a 7-6 (6), 7-6 (3) win over 138th-ranked Harriet Dart within the best-of-five tie which concludes on Saturday.

“I’m so relieved, it was such a huge fight against Harriet,” mentioned Cornet.

“I’m very happy to get through in two sets. The third set would’ve been very tough for both of us.

“Five tie-breaks today, this tie is so tough and we knew we could not let go of a single point.”

Britain, who reached the semi-finals final 12 months, are once more lacking Emma Raducanu, leaving Dart as their high singles participant.

France solely wants one victory to qualify for the finals, with two singles and a doubles slated for Saturday.

With textual content inputs from AFP

Updated by means of the day