Texas A&M-Corpus Christi won 75-71 victory over Southeast Missouri to advance to the NCAA tournament where they will face no.1 seed Alabama in the South Region.

The Islanders held off SEMA in the First Four matchup of no.16 seeds, having led 33-27 at half-time with Jalen Jackson top scoring with 22 points and six rebounds, while Isaac Mushila managed 15 points and 12 rebounds.

The triumph was a first-ever NCAA tournament game win for Texas, who were without guard Terrion Murdix due to a left knee injury.

SEMA had squared the game up at 64-64 with 3:07 to play but could not maintain the rage. Chris Harris top scored for the Redhawks with 23 points.

Pittsburgh also advanced via their First Four game, claiming their first victory at an NCAA tournament since 2014, getting past Mississippi State 60-59 in a see-sawing contest.

Jamarius Burton came up with a go-ahead two-point pointer with 10 seconds remaining and Pitt held on to clinch a clash with no.6 seed Iowa State in the Midwest Regional.

Shakeel Moore missed an open three-pointer to win the game for Mississippi, with D.J. Jeffries unable to convert the tip-in attempt.

Nelly Cummings top scored for the Panthers with 15 points with three rebounds and four assists, while Dashawn Davis also had 15 points with five assists for the Bulldogs.

The Milwaukee Bucks underlined their NBA title favouritism as they reached 50 wins for the season with a commanding 116-104 road victory over the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo backed up Monday's 40-point return against the Sacramento Kings with 36 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists at the Footprint Center.

The Bucks have won 20 of their past 22 games, including a 15-game winning streak during that stretch, while the Suns have now lost three consecutive games.

Milwaukee's record is 50-19, pulling clear of the Boston Celtics (47-22) in second in the Eastern Conference, while the 37-31 Suns remain among the mayhem in the tight Western Conference playoffs race.

The Suns had rallied from a 57-48 half-time deficit to take the lead in the fourth quarter but the Bucks steadied, with Antetokounmpo's block on Devin Booker's two-point attempt among the highlights.

Bucks center Brook Lopez added 21 points with 10 rebounds, while Jrue Holiday chipped in with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists.

Booker top scored for the Suns, still missing Kevin Durant due to an ankle injury, with 30 points on 13-of-27 shooting, while Chris Paul added 11 points with eight assists. Phoenix only made eight three-pointers for the game.

Nuggets fall to fourth straight defeat

The Western Conference-leading Denver Nuggets slumped to their fourth straight defeat despite a third-quarter rally, going down 125-110 to the Toronto Raptors.

Fred VanVleet scored 36 points on 13-of-22 shooting including eight triples as the Raptors flew out of the blocks with a franchise-record 49-point first quarter, improving their record to 33-26.

The Nuggets fall to 46-23 amid their slump, with Nikola Jokic scoring 28 points with eight rebounds and seven assists, while Michael Porter Jr added 23 points with five three-pointers.

Lakers hit franchise record in key win over Pels

Anthony Davis produced a bounce-back display after his "terrible" showing two nights ago with 35 points and 17 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers won 123-108 over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Malik Beasley added 24 points, shooting seven-of-12 from beyond the arc, as the Lakers moved closer to .500 with a 34-35 record to boost their playoffs hopes.

Beasley's three-point shooting helped the Lakers achieve a franchise record for threes made in a half, with 15 as a team before half-time.

Simone Inzaghi saluted Inter's unity after the Nerazzurri kept Porto at bay to secure their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Inter are through to the last eight of Europe's premier club competition for the first time in 12 years, after a goalless draw at Estadio do Dragao sealed a 1-0 aggregate victory over Sergio Conceicao's side.

The visitors survived a late flurry of chances as Porto struck the woodwork twice in quick succession through Mehdi Taremi and Marko Grujic, while Denzel Dumfries blocked Ivan Mercano on the line.

And Inzaghi heaped praise on his players' efforts as they held out to prevail.

"We played a great game, the group came together and played a great match," he told Mediaset. "[We were] excellent first half. In the last part of the match, we suffered all together – honour to this group.

"In football, luck counts relatively, [but] in the two legs, we deserved the passage to the quarter-finals. Now, it's right to enjoy a feat that has been missing for a long time."

Henrikh Mkhitaryan also paid tribute to his team-mates, and the midfielder believes Inter have a genuine chance of embarking on a deep run.

When asked if they could go all the way, he told Sky Sports: "You can always dream, we want to do our best. It's a good opportunity, Inter haven't reached the quarter-finals for a long time, but we have to play with our heads.

"We knew it would be very tough. I want to congratulate my team-mates because we fought until the end. I hope this qualification will give us the push for the next games."

Meanwhile, Matteo Darmian was pleased with the way the Nerazzurri responded to their surprise 2-1 defeat by lowly Spezia in Serie A on Friday.

"We entered the field with the right desire and malice," the defender added. "We came from a bad defeat; many things were said. It was the perfect evening to make up for it.

"We were able to suffer at the right times, and we brought home the result. An evening like tonight gives us so much confidence and awareness."

Pep Guardiola explained why Erling Haaland will not be the difference between Manchester City's previous Champions League failures and a first title.

City have been repeatedly frustrated in the Champions League but are through to the quarter-finals for a sixth straight year after dominating RB Leipzig, led by Haaland.

The City number nine hit five on Tuesday in a 7-0 second-leg win in the last 16, securing an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Haaland broke a series of records in the process, including moving to 39 goals for the season – a new club record.

But these unprecedented goalscoring feats will not be enough to make City champions of Europe if they do not defend better than in previous seasons, Guardiola insisted.

Asked if Haaland's involvement could be pivotal, the City manager told BT Sport: "I don't think so. The reason why is we conceded a lot of goals that we gave to the opponent.

"We scored four goals against Real Madrid, we scored six goals against Monaco, we scored four goals against Tottenham, and all the time we were out, because we conceded the goals. We could absolutely avoid it.

"Right now, we defended really well. The goals we have scored all the time in all the seasons.

"But of course having someone like Erling, like Julian [Alvarez], like we had with Sergio [Aguero] before or Gabriel [Jesus], who has the instinct to score the goals... in this competition, in one moment, he can score. It's important."

Haaland scored five goals from eight shots, all of which hit the target, before being substituted with 27 minutes to play, denied the chance to become the first man to net a double hat-trick in the Champions League.

"It was five in 60 minutes, no more than that. If he played 90 minutes... I don't know," Guardiola said.

"He's an incredible guy. He has the power, the mentality, he's a serial winner."

Inter advanced to their first Champions League quarter-final in over a decade after holding out for a 1-0 aggregate victory against Porto.

Simone Inzaghi's side, who were 1-0 winners in the first leg at San Siro three weeks ago, saw out a hard-earned goalless draw at Estadio do Dragao to take them through.

The Nerazzurri subsequently secured their first last-eight appearance in Europe’s premier club competition since the 2010-11 season.

Despite a flurry of late chances, Porto – who had Pepe sent off for a second yellow card in stoppage time – were unable to convert it into the goals they required to reach a third quarter-final in five years.

Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, Porto almost levelled the tie in spectacular fashion after three minutes, Andre Onana forced to scramble across and tip away Mateus Uribe's 30-yard effort.

At the other end, Diogo Costa produced a smart reflex save to thwart Edin Dzeko following a quickfire Inter counter.

Porto turned up the pressure towards the end of the half. Federico Dimarco's brilliantly timed last-ditch intervention denied Evanilson a clear sight on goal, while Stephen Eustaquio was inches away from connecting with Pepe's inviting cross.

Uribe and Barella were off target with long-range strikes early in the second half, which provided few clear opportunities for either side.

Porto, who had won each of their four previous four home matches against Italian opponents, controlled possession as they desperately sought to square the tie. 

The hosts launched a last-gasp surge in stoppage time and Denzel Dumfries blocked Ivan Marcano's shot on the line, while Mehdi Taremi and Grujic both struck the woodwork before Pepe's dismissal as a remarkably stubborn Inter held on.

Erling Haaland's five-goal masterclass fired Manchester City into the Champions League quarter-finals as they dismantled RB Leipzig in a 7-0 rout on Tuesday.

The striker nabbed a first-half hat-trick, including two goals in two minutes, before adding another two after the restart in a tour-de-force performance at the Etihad Stadium for a 8-1 aggregate victory.

Now with 39 goals for the season, Haaland's haul saw him take Tommy Johnson's single-season City record set in 1928-29 among a series of new high marks as Pep Guardiola's hosts tied their record margin of victory in European competition.

Also the youngest and fastest player to pass 30 Champions League goals, Haaland's historic numbers befitted a majestic display up front, with his latest turn destined to go down in European folklore no matter what happens next.

Haaland was handed a stroke of luck for his first, with City awarded a dubious penalty by referee Slavko Vincic for a handball strongly protested by Benjamin Henrichs.

He ruthlessly converted from the spot, however, and then doubled his tally just moments later when he nodded home a rebound after Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar.

A first-half hat-trick followed with an air of inevitability when Haaland pounced on a parried Ruben Dias header before the break to bundle in the third from close range.

Ilkay Gundogan ensured another name at least got on the scoresheet when he added City's fourth with a sweeping low finish four minutes after the restart.

Yet the game belonged to Haaland, who added another two with close-range strikes before the hour, both times pouncing after Manuel Akanji was denied.

Haaland's exit in the 63rd minute was greeted with a standing ovation, denying him an unprecedented double hat-trick but saving the City striker ahead of a quarter-final in which further records could fall.

The scoring was not quite over, though, as De Bruyne would not be denied and added a sublime seventh in stoppage time for a final touch of gloss.

Erling Haaland became the youngest player to pass 30 goals in the Champions League after the Manchester City forward's first-half hat-trick against RB Leipzig.

The Norway international scored twice in the space of two minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday to reach 30 in the competition, before adding a third on the stroke of half-time.

At just 22 years and 236 days old, Haaland was the youngest man to that mark – 116 days younger than previous record holder Kylian Mbappe.

Other players he trumped included Lionel Messi (23 years and 131 days) and Raul (24 years and 91 days).

It was not the only record Haaland shattered either, with the forward's 30th Champions League goal coming in just his 25th game, setting a new benchmark for the fewest matches required to reach that milestone.

He blew away the previous record of 34 matches, held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, while also bettering the 46 games it took Robert Lewandowski to achieve the feat.

Haaland had not scored in the first leg against Leipzig in Germany, heading into Tuesday's match with 28 goals in Europe's top competition.

A harsh penalty awarded against Benjamin Henrichs allowed him to move one closer to the milestone in the 22nd minute, before he nodded home a rebound when Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar moments later.

Haaland then added a third – his 31st in the Champions League – when he poked in after a Ruben Dias header was stopped just shy of the goal line following a corner in first-half stoppage time.

The Las Vegas Raiders have added to Jimmy Garoppolo's weapons by agreeing a deal to sign wide receiver Jakobi Meyers.

News emerged on Monday that Garoppolo was signing with the Raiders following the departure of long-time quarterback Derek Carr, reuniting the former San Francisco 49er with his offensive coordinator from his time with the New England Patriots, Las Vegas head coach Josh McDaniels.

McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, a former director of player personnel in New England, have brought another ex-Patriot into the fold in Meyers, who is signing on a three-year deal worth $33million with $21m guaranteed.

Meyers had the most prolific season of his career in 2022, scoring six receiving touchdowns, while his 804 receiving yards were only a little down on his tally of 866 from 2021.

According to Stats Perform data, Meyers ranked 15th in combined open percentage (46.2) across man and zone coverages among wide receivers with at least 100 matchups and got open on 59.0 per cent of his man matchups. Only four wideouts with a minimum of 25 man matchups won a higher percentage.

The low point of his season came in a Week 15 loss to the Raiders, costing the Patriots the game when he inexplicably threw the ball back across field in the final seconds on a needless lateral play with the score tied. Chandler Jones plucked the ball out of the air and returned it for the game-winning score for the Raiders.

Meyers will now look to create happier memories of Allegiant Stadium with the Raiders as they attempt to return to the postseason in McDaniels' second year.

The New York Giants are trading for star Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller.

The move was reported on Tuesday, with the Giants sending a third-round pick to Vegas in the deal.

That 100th overall pick was originally sent to the Giants by the Kansas City Chiefs when they traded for Kadarius Toney last year.

Waller, a Pro Bowler in 2020, had been on the Raiders since he was signed off the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad in 2018.

The tight end established himself as a starter in 2019, the first of two consecutive 1,100-yard seasons.

He had the most catches among all tight ends in 2020 (107), ranked second for receiving yards (1,196) and third for receiving touchdowns (nine).

But Waller was limited to 17 starts over the next two seasons, restricted by knee, back and hamstring injuries.

With two years remaining on the contract that made him the best-paid tight end in the league last year, Waller will take his talents to New York.

He gives Daniel Jones – the quarterback who just signed a four-year, $160million extension – an established receiving target.

Darius Slayton had the most receiving yards among the Giants' pass catchers last year, but the wide receiver could move on in free agency.

The Golden State Warriors' NBA title defence has so far been beset by problems – primarily the absences of key personnel.

Even now, there remains no return date for Andrew Wiggins, who has played only 37 of 69 games this season and missed the past 12 for personal reasons.

Stephen Curry is back now but has sat for 26 games this year.

Although the Warriors' most-used lineup in the 2022 playoffs – including both Wiggins and Curry – has again been their most-used lineup in this regular season, it has started just a third of their games.

Yet that does not explain a quite remarkable trend that has developed across this campaign and now causes the Warriors real concern as they go on the road against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday.

Golden State have won their past eight home games, the longest active streak in the NBA, yet they have lost their past eight road games, also the league's longest active streak.

This form extends beyond the past month, too.

Ahead of Tuesday's games, the Warriors possess the fourth-best home record at 29-7, actually improving on last year's winning percentage after a 31-10 performance at Chase Center en route to taking the title.

However, on the road, only tanking duo the San Antonio Spurs and the Houston Rockets are worse off than the Warriors, who are an alarming 7-26.

Those contrasting records are still good enough to have the Warriors fifth in the Western Conference, but they are 1.5 games behind the fourth-placed Phoenix Suns, meaning Golden State are set to miss out on home advantage for every round of the playoffs. Clearly, that is an issue.

The Warriors' eight-game losing streak on the road has included each of their prior three games in Los Angeles this season, beaten by the Clippers on Valentine's Day ahead of defeats to the Lakers in consecutive road games. All of their eight straight losses have come against Western Conference rivals.

Now, this latest game at the Clippers – who are sixth in the West with an identical record to the Warriors – marks the start of a five-game road trip, with eight of Golden State's final 13 matchups away from San Francisco.

Their home record may have kept them competitive to this point, but hopes for success in the postseason will require vast improvement on the road moving forward.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Los Angeles Clippers – Kawhi Leonard

As for several Warriors stars, this has been another stop-start season for Leonard, yet he has started seven of the Clippers' eight games since the All-Star break and is finally building momentum again.

Leonard had averaged 22.1 points prior to the All-Star break but has scored 31.0 points per game since then. That is tied for the sixth-best mark in that time, along with Curry.

Golden State Warriors – Klay Thompson

Curry has actually averaged more points on the road this season (30.3) than at home (28.9), but he has lacked support in away games because the same has not been true of team-mate Thompson.

The 33-year-old has scored 24.8 points at home but just 19.0 on the road. However, he has still averaged 24.6 points in those rare road wins.

Golden State will need Curry and Thompson to turn up together to get their road form back on track.

KEY BATTLE – Fast start vital

As much as any Clipper, the Warriors will be battling themselves in the first quarter. Their slow starts in road games have been ever so costly.

Golden State have trailed through the first quarter of 17 games on the road this season. They are an incredible 0-17 in those games.

The Warriors must either make a rapid start or rediscover the sort of championship grit that would allow them to recover when they are up against it on their travels.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Warriors are 2-1 against the Clippers this season, although those two wins have of course come in San Francisco.

Since 2019, Golden State have won just one of five road games against the Clippers. They had won eight of nine such matchups prior to that in a series they have dominated 137-94 all-time.

Karim Benzema has recovered from injury ahead of Real Madrid's Champions League clash with Liverpool on Wednesday, with Carlo Ancelotti warning Los Blancos to forget last month's win at Anfield.

Benzema joined Vinicius Junior in scoring twice as Madrid thrashed Jurgen Klopp's men 5-2 in February's last-16 first leg, but the striker has seen his form dip since that rout.

The Madrid skipper has failed to find the net in three consecutive games across all competitions, while injuries have limited him to just 15 appearances in LaLiga this campaign.

Benzema sat out Saturday's 3-1 win over Espanyol with an ankle problem, but Ancelotti says he is fit and raring to go ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Santiago Bernabeu.

"Benzema is 100 per cent recovered. He has done good work in training sessions since Sunday," Ancelotti said at Tuesday's pre-match press conference.  

"He has great enthusiasm for this game. For me, for the players, for the club and for Karim, this is a massive competition."

Asked about Benzema's lack of form in recent weeks, Ancelotti said: "We're not talking about criticism. We're talking about his condition, how he's doing... I see him looking good, motivated and excited for tomorrow's game."

Madrid became the first visiting team to score five goals in a European fixture at Anfield last month, and they have progressed from 26 of their 27 European Cup/Champions League ties when winning on the road in the first leg.

However, with Liverpool one of just four sides to have overturned a first-leg deficit of three goals or more to win a Champions League tie, Ancelotti remains wary of their threat.

"We have to work on our defence and what we do in the final third. We're not focused on that first leg," he said.

"We've got our game plan, which we're going to stick to. We'll try to start off strongly, play with plenty of tempo and look to win the match.

"We're going to approach this match like its just 90 minutes, we're not going to get the calculator out and work out how many goals we need. We can't focus purely on defending."

Madrid were involved in several dramatic Champions League ties last term, including when they squandered a 3-1 first-leg lead over Chelsea before sealing a 5-4 aggregate win in the last eight in extra time in the home leg.

Ancelotti is determined to enjoy a smoother passage to the next stage on Wednesday, saying: "Maybe people don't see me that stressed, but of course I suffer a lot and against Chelsea, I did! 

"Everyone played their part on that day and it was a remarkable victory. We've got to make sure it's a very different game this time.

"That's why I said we're not going to get our calculator out. We're going to make sure we book our place in the next round."

There aren't many months on the US sporting calendar that capture the imagination quite like March.

Fans around the country and around the world are furiously filling in brackets as they undertake the futile task of trying to correctly predict every game of the NCAA Tournament.

Spoiler alert. None will succeed. All brackets will eventually be 'busted' as March Madness delivers the chaotic upsets that have come to define it.

There will be top seeds who fail to justify that status and suffer defeats to supposed inferior teams, although the cream consistently rises to the top.

Twelve of the past 15 National Champions have been one seeds, including each of the last five.

Ahead of the first four tipping off in Dayton on Tuesday, Stats Perform looks at three storylines surrounding one seeds looking to keep that streak alive.

Houston eyeing home victory

The Houston Cougars have never tasted glory in the NCAA Tournament, finishing as runners-up in 1983 and 1984, but they are many people's favourites to end that drought in a year that will see the Final Four held in Houston.

Despite losing the AAC Tournament title game to Memphis, the Cougars still earned a one seed as they seek a maiden National Championship.

Top of Stats Perform's TRACR (Team Rating Adjusted for Conference and Roster) rankings, which give Houston the highest chance (13.4 per cent) of winning the title, the big question surrounding the Cougars is the health of power forward Marcus Sasser.

Sasser missed the defeat to Memphis with a groin injury, and Houston will likely need him at full health if the Cougars are to go all the way. He has averaged 17.1 points per game this season and shot 38.3 per cent from the three-point line.

He suggested he likely will be ready for the tournament, saying he "played it safe" by not featuring against Memphis.

Houston shouldn't need Sasser to get past Northern Kentucky in their first-round matchup, but the Cougars can't afford for him to be on the shelf much longer if they are to realise their potential and finally end their wait for a title.

Controversy clouds top-ranked Alabama

The top overall seed belongs to the Alabama Crimson Tide, who will face either Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Southeast Missouri State in the first round.

But much of the talk around Alabama does not concern their play on the court.

Alabama removed Darius Miles from the team in January after he was charged with capital murder following the shooting death of a 23-year-old woman near the campus.

Police are said to believe that Brandon Miller, the SEC Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year, supplied the firearm to his former team-mate.

Miller has not been charged, nor is he considered a suspect, and according to the university, he has been cooperating with the police as a witness.

Alabama coach Nate Oats has been insistent Miller has done nothing wrong, and he remains on the court as the standout for a team looking to reach the Final Four for the first time.

He will carry much of the burden for Alabama having averaged 19.6 points and 8.3 rebounds and shot 40.1 per cent from beyond the arc.

After easing to an 82-63 win over Texas A&M in the SEC Tournament finale, Alabama look in excellent shape to justify their position as the number one seed in the entire tournament. 

But the further they progress and the larger the spotlight gets, the more questions they will face around Miller's presence and the lack of discipline he has faced after a tragedy that may overshadow their campaign.

Self set to return for Jayhawks repeat bid

The Kansas Jayhawks go into the tournament looking to do what no team has done since Florida in 2007 and claim back-to-back National Championships.

Entering the tournament as the one seed in the West Regional, Kansas' performance in a season that has seen them go 27-7 would appear to indicate they have a strong chance of repeating.

Yet the TRACR rankings give them just a 3.2 per cent of doing so, and history is firmly against them.

Since Florida made it two in a row in 2007, no defending champion has advanced past the Sweet 16, with only two even reaching that stage.

This year, the Jayhawks face a potential Sweet 16 matchup with UConn, a fourth seed with the third-best odds (6.9 per cent) to win it all, according to TRACR.

So, not a great draw then, and Kansas' preparations for the tournament have not exactly been ideal.

They lost the Big 12 Championship Game 76-56 to Texas, having played that tournament without head coach Bill Self after he was admitted to hospital with chest tightness and balance concerns.

With Self expected to return for the tournament and Kansas possessing the Big 12's top scorer in Jalen Wilson (20.1 points per game), there is reason for optimism this powerhouse can replicate the achievements of Billy Donovan's Gators 16 years ago.

Regardless of whether they succeed, the Jayhawks have already fared better than the team they defeated last year, North Carolina, who failed to make the tournament. They became the first preseason number one to miss out on the tournament since 1985.

This season has already seen unwanted history for the Tar Heels. The Jayhawks will look to end it by writing another celebratory chapter in the record books. 

Carlos Alcaraz felt "really proud" to complete 100 wins at ATP Tour level while still a teenager as the world number two marched on at the Indian Wells Open.

Only John McEnroe has reached a century of victories in fewer matches, the ATP said, with the American getting there from 131 contests while it took Alcaraz 132 to get to that landmark.

Alcaraz made it 10 wins from 11 matches in 2023 by defeating Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 on Monday at the California tournament.

The Spanish prodigy last year won the US Open and in doing so became the youngest men's world number one, with Novak Djokovic having since clawed back top spot.

Victory over Griekspoor made Alcaraz the third men's tour player born after 2000 to claim 100 tour wins, after Jannik Sinner and Felix Auger-Aliassime, said OptaAce.

The youngster's first tour-level win came against fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas at the 2020 Rio Open, with the then 16-year-old wrapping up a 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 7-6 (7-2) at 3am local time.

The latest victory was his 24th at ATP 1000 level, going past Djokovic on the all-time ranking for wins at that elite tier by players before turning 20.

Alcaraz trails Denis Shapovalov (25) and Rafael Nadal (49), in that regard, but the chances are he will soon only trail Nadal, whom he cannot catch.

With his 20th birthday coming up in May, Alcaraz can substantially add to his ATP 1000 wins before leaving behind his teenage years. He will be looking to go further at Indian Wells and then rack up more victories in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid.

He will turn 20 on May 5, during the Madrid tournament where he is the defending champion.

Reflecting on his time on tour so far, Alcaraz said: "A lot has happened since that first ATP win. I'm really proud of myself to have my 100th win on the tour, in like 132 matches.

"I saw I was the second player in history with less matches to be able to get to 100 wins. I'm really proud of myself about that."

Alcaraz has a win percentage of 70.6 at ATP 1000 events in his fledgling career. Only three players with 10 or more matches in ATP 1000 events as a teenager have a higher percentage of success: Andre Agassi (90.9 per cent), Rafael Nadal (84.5) and Jim Courier (72.7).

Standing in the way of Alcaraz making an immediate improvement to his record is another emerging young talent, the 21-year-old British player Jack Draper.

They will meet in round four at Indian Wells on Tuesday, with Draper having sunk the hopes of compatriot and three-time grand slam winner Andy Murray on Monday to reach that stage.

"I know he's a really good player," said Alcaraz, who won his one previous meeting with Draper, a tight three-setter in Switzerland last year.

"I mean, he's playing well. He has beaten great opponents like [Dan] Evans and Andy. I know that I'm going to have to play my best, give my 100 per cent on court. I played against him in Basle [and won] 7-5 in the third, I think. It's going to be a really tough match and I'm going to enjoy it."

The Kansas City Chiefs moved quickly to find their new left tackle on the first day of the NFL's free agent negotiating window.

Having elected not to place the franchise tag on Orlando Brown Jr., the Chiefs agreed a four-year, $80million deal with Jawaan Taylor, according to multiple reports.

Taylor was the right tackle for the Jacksonville Jaguars and, with the Chiefs also losing Andrew Wylie in free agency, would be a natural fit to play the same position for Kansas City.

But he will reportedly shift sides and take the spot vacated by Brown for the Super Bowl champions.

A second-round pick of Jacksonville in 2019, Taylor is coming off the best season of his career, one in which he helped the Jags to the Divisional Round of the AFC playoffs, where they lost to the Chiefs.

Taylor allowed a pressure rate of 5.8 per cent in 2022, ranking seventh among right tackles with at least 100 pass protection snaps.

He now faces the challenge of replicating that form on the left side. That is no easy feat for any offensive lineman, but playing for Andy Reid and in front of the reigning MVP in Patrick Mahomes, Taylor could not ask for a better situation in which to make the switch.

Milan missed the chance to gain ground on their rivals for a top-four Serie A finish as Boulaye Dia cancelled out Olivier Giroud's opener in a 1-1 draw with Salernitana at San Siro.

Slip-ups from Inter, Lazio and Roma gave Milan the chance to strike an important blow in the Champions League race on Monday, and they looked set to do so when Giroud headed the opener on the stroke of half-time.

However, Salernitana hit back through Dia just after the hour mark, before a VAR review denied Milan a penalty when Ismael Bennacer went down easily under Domagoj Bradaric's challenge.

The result means Milan remain fourth, just a point clear of fifth-placed Roma in a tense battle for Champions League qualification.

While Milan dominated possession from the off, Salernitana kept them quiet until the half-hour mark, when Giroud sent a trademark overhead kick narrowly over the crossbar.

Salernitana then squandered two chances on the break, with Grigoris Kastanos' effort deflecting wide after a loose pass from Mike Maignan, before the Milan goalkeeper made a fine last-ditch challenge to prevent Dia rounding him.

The visitors' resistance was broken just before half-time as Giroud met Bennacer's corner at the near post to glance a header into the bottom-left corner. 

Salernitana hit back after the restart as Bradaric led a Salernitana break down the left, with his driven cross turned beyond Maignan by a stretching Dia.

Milan threw on Zlatan Ibrahimovic in search of a winner and saw referee Federico La Penna reverse a decision to award them a spot-kick, while Guillermo Ochoa denied Divock Origi with a fine save late on.

Ochoa was involved again as Milan went agonisingly close to a winner late on, somehow clawing the ball away from the goal line following a scramble.