Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova reached the semi-finals of the Miami Open for the primary time after beating Ekaterina Alexandrova.

World No 1 Carlos Alcaraz and in-form Daniil Medvedev reached the lads’s draw semis after beating American opposition of their respective quarter-finals.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger was the hero for Chelsea because the Blues beat defending champions Lyon to achieve the ladies’s Champions League semi-finals.

Max Verstappen topped first apply within the Australian Grand Prix forward of Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton.

Here’s a have a look at the important thing tales from worldwide sporting occasions by means of the day for 31 March, 2023:

Kvitova, Medvedev, Alcaraz attain Miami semis

Petra Kvitova reached the semi-finals of the Miami Open for the primary time after preventing to a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win over Ekaterina Alexandrova on Thursday.

Czech Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon champion, will face Romanian Sorana Cirstea within the final 4 on Friday whereas American Jessica Pegula will tackle Elena Rybakina within the opening semi afterward Thursday.

In the lads’s draw, world primary Carlos Alcaraz and in-form Russian Daniil Medvedev booked their locations within the semi-finals with convincing victories over American opponents.

Alcaraz crushed ninth-seed Taylor Fritz 6-4, 6-2, whereas Medvedev ended qualifier Christopher Eubanks’ spectacular run with a 6-3, 7-5 victory of their quarter-final.

Kvitova grabbed the primary set, within the match which was postponed as a result of rain on Wednesday, after breaking Alexandrova on her second service sport however the Russian fought again nicely.

Her victory in two hours and 11 minutes ensures Kvitova a spot within the final 4 at her thirteenth try in Miami and she’s going to now face one other veteran within the 32-year-old Cirstea.

Alcaraz wanted simply 78 minutes to dismiss Fritz with the Spaniard but once more dominating along with his large serve and attacking the American from the outset.

He can be up towards Italian tenth-seed Jannik Sinner subsequent as he seeks to finish the ‘Sunshine Double’ following his overcome Medvedev at Indian Wells.

The 26-year-old Eubanks was taking part in in his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final after upsetting Frenchmen Adrian Mannarino and Gregoire Barrere and Croatia’s Seventeenth-ranked Borna Coric.

Eubanks saved two match factors as Medvedev appeared to interrupt him and keep away from a deciding set, however then on the third match level he tousled a simple volley, placing it out and ending his resistance.

Medvedev has now gained 22 of his previous 23 matches, capturing titles in Rotterdam, Doha and Dubai throughout that run and reaching the ultimate in Indian Wells, the place he misplaced to world primary Carlos Alcaraz.

Medvedev, within the semi-finals in Miami for the primary time, will face fellow-Russian Karen Khachanov for a spot within the remaining after the 14th seed beat Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 6-3, 6-2.

Chelsea, Wolfsburg attain Champions League SF

Chelsea supervisor Emma Hayes lauded Ann-Katrin Berger because the “best pen-saving goalkeeper I’ve worked with” after the Germany worldwide’s heroics helped the Blues knock holders Lyon out of the Women’s Champions League on Thursday.

The 32-year-old, recognized with thyroid most cancers for a second time in August, made two saves in a penalty shoot-out Chelsea gained 4-3 to set-up a semi-final with Barcelona.

An already dramatic two-legged tie completed stage at 2-2, however solely after Chelsea substitute Maren Mjelde scored a penalty within the eighth minute of added-on time on the finish of extra-time to ship the match to spot-kicks.

Mjelde then scored the primary penalty of the shoot-out.

Berger later denied Wendie Renard earlier than ending the match when she obtained a powerful hand to US worldwide Lindsey Horan’s strike low to the underside left nook.

The Blues’ success sparked joyous scenes at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea – but to win the Women’s Champions League – now dealing with a Barcelona facet that beat them 4-0 within the 2021 remaining.

Earlier, two-time Champions League winners Wolfsburg secured a last-four place towards Arsenal, considered one of Chelsea’s London rivals, with a 2-1 combination win over Paris Saint-Germain.

Previously, a 1-1 draw at house was adequate for Wolfsburg to undergo.

The German membership took an early lead by means of star striker Alexandra Popp however that was quickly cancelled out by a Kadidiatou Diani equaliser.

Verstappen quickest in Australian apply

Max Verstappen outpaced Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton to clock the quickest time in opening apply on the Australian Grand Prix on Friday, because the defending world champion strengthened his early season dominance.

The Dutchman powered across the Albert Park circuit with a greatest time of 1 minute 18.790 seconds amongst his 17 laps, largely on tender tyres.

He demonstrated his superior pace once more, but in addition had an enormous spin on the exit of Turn 4 late on, ruining his tyres.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton was a shock second, 0.433secs adrift, clocking his quickest lap simply earlier than the hour-long session was crimson flagged for a second time, sneaking previous Red Bull’s third-placed Sergio Perez.

Red Bull are trying to attain a 3rd consecutive 1-2 end for the primary time within the crew’s historical past in Melbourne after their dominance in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Two-time champion Fernando Alonso adopted podium finishes on the first two races of the season by taking fourth in his Aston Martin.

Charles Leclerc, who gained in Australia final 12 months, got here an encouraging fifth after Ferrari’s reliability and tempo issues this 12 months, forward of teammate Carlos Sainz.

McLaren’s Lando Norris, Pierre Gasly in an Alpine, George Russell within the different Mercedes and Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll rounded out the highest 10.

France says IOC Russia suggestion not binding for Paris 2024

The International Olympic Committee suggestion to permit Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete as neutrals shouldn’t be binding for Paris’ 2024 Olympics, French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera mentioned on Thursday.

IOC suggestions have been “a step which does not pre-judge what we will do” for Paris 2024, Oudea-Castera instructed reporters on a go to close to Paris.

“If the international federations decide that there will be participation by individual athletes, it will be under a strict neutrality regime, without a Russian flag or the national anthem,” she added.

Voices from western governments, civil society and athletes have been raised towards permitting any Russian participation within the Games following Moscow’s invasion final 12 months of neighbour Ukraine.

Belarusians are additionally within the body as Minsk has allowed its territory for use by Russian troops through the assault, with Russian President Vladimir Putin saying final week he would station nuclear weapons there.