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• Sinner snaps Alcaraz's win streak, books Miami Open final against Medvedev

  Jannik Sinner is through to the Miami Open decider after eliminating world number one Carlos Alcaraz 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-2 in Friday's semi-final.

  Sinner, 21, has enjoyed a terrific start to 2023. Since the beginning of the Australian Open, the Italian has only lost three matches – to Stefanos Tsitsipas, Daniil Medvedev and Alcaraz.

  He avenged his defeat to Tsitsipas with a straight sets win at the Rotterdam Open, and he has now got one back on Alcaraz after their three-hour war of attrition.

  Both players created exactly 12 break point opportunities, and Sinner's 26 unforced errors were only one less than Alcaraz's 27, but the Spanish 19-year-old committed an uncharacteristic nine double faults. The loss snapped Alcaraz's 10-match winning streak.

  The victory gives Sinner his second appearance in the Miami Open final after losing the 2021 edition to Hubert Hurkacz, and he now joins Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic as the only players to ever reach the final here twice before turning 22.

  Sinner will get a chance to avenge his only other loss this year in the final after Daniil Medvedev booked his spot with a 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 6-3 victory over Russian compatriot Karen Khachanov.

  Incredibly, Khachanov lost despite hitting 53 winners and only 11 unforced errors, and he ended up edging the total point count 93-88, but he could only convert two of his six break point opportunities, while Medvedev converted two out of four.

  The win means Medvedev is the first player since Roger Federer in 2019 to reach the final of both the Indian Wells Open and the Miami Open in the same season, and he is the first since Federer in 2006 to reach five ATP finals before the clay court season begins.

• Kvitova defeats Cirstea to join Rybakina in the Miami Open final

  Petra Kvitova is through to her 41st WTA singles final after defeating Sorana Cirstea 7-5 6-4 in Friday's Miami Open semi-final.

  Kvitova, 33, already has 29 singles titles under her belt, including eight at the WTA 1000 level. Despite showing she can still compete with the best – making the final at the 2019 Dubai Championships, the 2020 Qatar Open and the 2022 Cincinnati Open, her last WTA 1000 victory came at the 2018 Madrid Open.

  Against Romania's Cirstea – who came into the contest with nine wins from her past 10 matches – Czech veteran Kvitova was put on the back foot early as her serve was broken to go 5-2 down.

  But she saved two set points, and used that momentum to ignite a run of seven consecutive games, taking the first set and the early break in the second as a result.

  Kvitova did not allow Cirstea to produce a single break point opportunity in the second set, winning 75 per cent (21-of-28) of her total service points to slam the door shut.

  With the win, Kvitova joined Chris Evert and Serena Williams as the only women to ever reach the Miami Open final after turning 33 years old, booking her place against the hottest talent on the tour – Elena Rybakina – in the decider.

  Rybakina has won her past 13 matches, and is looking to become the fifth woman to ever complete the Sunshine Double after eliminating both world number one Iga Swiatek and world number two Aryna Sabalenka to lift the Indian Wells Open title.

   

• Wimbledon lifts ban on Russian and Belarusian players

  Russian and Belarusian athletes will be allowed to compete at this year's Wimbledon after the All England Club (AELTC) reversed its ban from the previous year.

  Players from those nations were banned from competing in response to Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and the support provided to Russia by Belarus. 

  The lifting of the ban does come with certain conditions, with players only allowed to compete if they do so as a "neutral" athlete and without funding from either state or state-run organisations. 

  Players and support staff will also have to sign neutrality declarations and will be barred from showing any "expressions of support" for the ongoing war in Ukraine.

  "We continue to condemn totally Russia's illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine," said AELTC chairman Ian Hewitt.

  "This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted.

  "It is our view that, considering all factors, these are the most appropriate arrangements for The Championships for this year. 

  "We are thankful for the government's support as we and our fellow tennis stakeholder bodies have navigated this complex matter and agreed on conditions we believe are workable.

  "If circumstances change materially between now and the commencement of The Championships, we will consider and respond accordingly."

  The AELTC said the move came about after intense discussions with the UK government, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and international stakeholder bodies in tennis.

  It also confirmed the change in policy was a response to the "strong and very disappointing reaction" to last year's ban as well as the organisation having witnessed a year of Russian and Belarusian athletes competing neutrally on the tour circuit.

  The LTA was the only organisation to bar athletes from those nations from competing in their events and was fined $1million by the WTA for the move.

  The reversal of the decision will allow previously banned athletes to compete in the grand slam as well as the other events in the run-up to Wimbledon at Queen's Club and Eastbourne.