Carlos Alcaraz has won his last match as a teenager, as the 19-year-old, who will turn 20 on Friday, reached the Madrid Masters semi-final, as did Iga Swiatek.
In football, Erling Haaland set a new record as he helped Manchester City get back to the top of the Premier League table.
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid have overtaken local rivals Real in the La Liga standings.
Here’s a look at the key stories from international sporting events through the day for 4 May, 2023:
Alcaraz, Swiatek in Madrid semis
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz on Wednesday moved into the Madrid Open semi-finals with a straight sets victory over Karen Khachanov in his final match as a teenager, while Iga Swiatek reached the women’s last four.
US Open winner Alcaraz, who turns 20 on Friday when the last-four ties are played, overturned 4-1 and 5-2 deficits in the second set to defeat 12th-ranked Khachanov, 6-4, 7-5.
“Winning this match will give me a lot of confidence, Karen was at a great level and took me to the limit,” said world number two Alcaraz who unleashed 31 winners.
“It was decided by small details and I am very, very happy to be able to get through this round.”
The top seed triumphed in one hour and 52 minutes and will next face Borna Coric of Croatia who eased past German lucky loser Daniel Altmaier 6-3, 6-3.
If Alcaraz lifts the trophy on Sunday in the Spanish capital, he will knock Novak Djokovic from top spot in the rankings simply by playing a match at the Italian Open in Rome next week.
Swiatek wins
Women’s world No 1 Swiatek raced into the semi-finals with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Croatia’s Petra Martic.
The world number one, playing the event for only the second time, will take on Russian 12th seed Veronika Kudermetova on Thursday for a place in the final.
Swiatek lost just eight points in a completely one-sided first set before one break of serve in the second set proved enough to send her into a fifth successive WTA Tour semi-final.
The Polish star has now won eight straight matches as she bids to hit top form in time for the start of her French Open title defence later this month.
Manchester City back on top
Erling Haaland set a new record of 35 goals in a Premier League season as Manchester City overcame West Ham 3-0 to move back to the top of the table on Wednesday, while Liverpool edged out Fulham 1-0.
City were made to work by an under-manned Hammers to edge one point clear of Arsenal in the title race, with a game in hand still to come.
But they cut loose after half-time as Haaland wrote himself into the record books with his 51st goal in all competitions of his debut season at City.
“I do not think of all these records, I would go crazy in my head,” said Haaland. “I go home now, play some video games, eat something and then sleep.”
The Norwegian was given a guard of honour by his teammates as he left the pitch after full-time.
The 22-year-old moved past Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s mark of 34 set for Blackburn and Newcastle respectively in the 1990s.
However, he will still fall someway short of the all-time scoring record for a season in the English top flight of 60 set by Everton’s Dixie Dean in 1927/28.
Liverpool win
At Anfield, Liverpool refused to give up the fight for a top-four finish by keeping the pressure on Newcastle and Manchester United for the final two places in next season’s Champions League behind City and Arsenal.
Jurgen Klopp’s men have now won five league consecutive league games for the first time this season.
“Five games in a row is good. I liked it a lot. We have to try to do something we can use, something we can build on in the next season,” said Klopp.
Mohamed Salah’s 29th goal of the season was the difference between the sides as the Egyptian shrugged off his recent struggles from the penalty spot to convert after Darwin Nunez had been fouled by Issa Diop six minutes before half-time.
Liverpool close to within four points of fourth-placed Manchester United, who have two games in hand.
Atletico overtake Real Madrid
Antoine Griezmann shone as Atletico Madrid thrashed Cadiz 5-1 on Wednesday to climb above rivals Real Madrid into second in La Liga.
Diego Simeone’s side are a point above the champions but 13 behind leaders Barcelona, who just need two more points to clinch the title.
Struggling Valencia earned a 1-1 draw with fifth-placed Villarreal but remain in 17th place, level on points with Getafe, 18th, who beat Celta Vigo 1-0.
Griezmann broke the deadlock in the second minute and added a second to give Atletico a comfortable lead against Cadiz and continue his own superb form.
The French forward has 13 goals and 13 assists this season in La Liga.
With Griezmann pulling the strings, the Rojiblancos have been the division’s best side in 2023.
While it is too late for them to earn any silverware, overtaking Real does offer some small reward.
Alvaro Morata netted the third in the 49th minute and Yannick Carrasco converted a penalty for the fourth.
Chucky Lozano smashed in a brilliant consolation for Cadiz, 15th and only a point above the drop zone, but Nahuel Molina tucked home Atletico’s fifth immediately after.
Samuel Lino struck for Valencia to cancel out Villarreal forward Nicolas Jackson’s opener at Mestalla, saving the hosts from a fourth defeat in six games and keeping them just outside the drop zone.
Getafe stayed on their tail with their narrow victory thanks to Enes Unal’s early penalty, putting pressure on Espanyol, 19th, who are three points behind and visit Sevilla on Thursday.
With text inputs from AFP
Updated through the day
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