The 19-year-old Greek, a surprise finalist last weekend in Barcelona against Rafael Nadal, will aim for his second straight title match as he takes on Portuguese number one Joao Sousa, who beat British third seed Kyle Edmund 6-3, 1-6, 6-0.

The 44th-ranked Tsitsipas recovered from 0-3 down in the final-set tiebreaker, erasing the deficit and sprinting to a victory that was sealed when his 77th-ranked opponent drove a return long.

The battle between first-time opponents lasted for nearly two and three-quarter hours.

“I was really focused after 0-3 in the tiebreaker,” the youngster said. “The two points after that were important for the win.

“I had to keep the score as close as possible. After those two points, I got the upper hand.

“I was patient during the rallies. Winning seven points in a row is unbelievable. I had the momentum and I kept it to the end.”

Tsitsipas is coming off his best performance on clay and just defeated his second top-10 opponent in as many weeks, adding Estoril top seed Kevin Anderson to his list of victims on Thursday.

Last week, the outsider beat world number seven Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals.

“After last week in Barcelona, I told myself I had to keep my level and concentration,” Tsitsipas said. “That is a difficult challenge.

“At the start of the match I was frustrated, but I got tired of my attitude and stopped complaining and just played.”

Sousa, who has been playing his home event since 2008, produced his best career showing at the tournament as he thrilled local fans with his victory over Edmund.

The world number 68 will be competing in his second semi-final of 2018 after reaching the last four in Marrakech a month ago.

The second semi-final will feature second seed Pablo Carreno Busta, who defeated Nicolas Jarry 6-2, 2-6, 6-1, and American Frances Tiafoe, a 7-5, 6-2 winner over Simone Bolelli.

The 19-year-old and Densai ousted Sheng Yuqi of China and Aldila Sutjiadi of Indonesia 7-5 6-1 in the doubles final.

THe top seed Bunyawi earlier toppled Chinese Ma Shuyue 6-1 6-2 to set up the an all Thai singles final showdown with third seeded Nudnida Luangnam who vanqusihed Desai 6-4 6-0.

The Singtel Group and ONE Championship will explore integrating the Singtel Group’s mobile wallets and carrier billing services to power e-commerce functions in the just launched ONE Championship app which offers live and recorded telecasts of martial arts matches and events. Both companies will also consider jointly producing original content.

“We are excited to collaborate with ONE Championship to bring new entertainment offerings such as martial arts to our customers while raising the profile of the martial arts community here.” said Arthur Lang, CEO of International Group at Singtel. “Content, particularly premium sports content, delivered over our advanced network is one of the key pillars of our consumer strategy. This is why we will also be exploring ways to develop and deliver exclusive martial arts content to not just customers in Singapore and Australia but also our regional associates in Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia and India. Sports content is a big winner with our consumers, with millennials comprising a large part of our customer base.”

ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong said: “We are pleased to enter into this MOU with communications giant, the Singtel Group, on a range of initiatives. ONE Championship is focused on bringing the unique action and adrenaline of our live ONE Championship events straight to our audience on all platforms, making sure that millions of martial arts fans around the world have access to our digital content. I am excited to work with Singtel in executing this vision, delivering the unique experience of Asian martial arts to the world.”

The MOU was announced alongside the launch of ONE Championship’s mobile app in Singtel’s newly-revamped flagship store, where Singapore’s mixed martial arts champion Angela Lee made an appearance. Lee will defend her ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship title against Japan’s  Mei Yamaguchi on 18 May 2018.

Available on Android and iOS mobile platforms, the app aims to give fans of the sport access to ONE Championship live events, as well as their complete library of digital content for free. Content will be streamed in full HD and will also provide users with statistical information and a detailed background on ONE Championship superstars. Singtel Group subscribers can also look forward to perks such as exclusive or early access to content, ticket discounts and invites to VIP events at ONE Championship matches.

Although the star was reported to be taking the Thursday flight out of Rio de Janeiro, arriving early Friday in Paris, there was no confirmation from his spokesman that he departed. Neymar was not spotted in the public areas of Rio’s Tom Jobim International Airport.

While his return is too late to have any impact for his club, Brazil fans are desperate for their iconic star to lead the team out in Russia.

The 26-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward — at 220 million euros ($263 million) the most expensive player in history — broke a bone in his right foot on February 25 playing for PSG and has been in a race for fitness since undergoing surgery in Brazil on March 3.

According to L’Equipe Neymar has been walking without crutches for two weeks but the star striker said last week from his coastal mansion in Rio that he would not play before a final medical on May 17, two days ahead of his club’s last match of the season.

PSG coach Unai Emery admitted Thursday he had not spoken to Neymar for “some weeks”.

“He needs to be left alone to work with the physios, but we also want him to be with us for the last match,” Emery said.

“I don’t know if it’s Friday or Saturday,” added Emery, confirming the former Barcelona forward was scheduled for an imminent return from Brazil.

In Neymar’s absence PSG were beaten by Real Madrid in the Champions League but have regained the French league title and the League Cup and face third division Les Herbiers in the French Cup final on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old held the big-hitting South African to just four aces in a second-round match which lasted for more than two hours in windy conditions.

World number 44 Tsitsipas beat three top-20 players, including Dominic Thiem, en route to the Barcelona Open final last week, where he lost to Rafael Nadal.

Anderson, ranked eighth, sealed his fate as his first double-fault of the contest brought up two match points, with Tsitsipas quickly wrapping up victory at the first attempt.

“It was really tough, with tricky conditions,” world number eight Anderson said. “I’ve not played a match in a while.

“It’s a little disappointing, I would have preferred better conditions for my first match back, a more comfortable environment.

“But he was just too good today.”

Tsitsipas, the first Greek man to break into the world’s top 50, improved to 13-10 for the season.

He will face a last-eight match against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena, who knocked out British number three Cameron Norrie 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 (7/1).

The 103rd-ranked Norrie went down in three hours, eight minutes to his Spanish opponent who won his first ATP title this season in Quito.

Norrie let a 5-2 lead in the final set slip away and wasted three match points while serving for victory leading 5-3, missing out on the first ATP quarter-final of his career.

The doubles run of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt and teenager Alex de Minaur came to an end as the Australian pair lost 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to Norrie and Kyle Edmund.

“We we hung in there well, it was hard to play clean tennis out there,” Hewitt said. “You just have to try and make as many shots as possible in the wind.

“We fought hard and got back into both sets. If we’d been able to sneak one, the match would have gone to a super-tiebreaker.

“It was disappointing to end up losing.”

The last two quarter-final spots were filled as defending champion and second seed Pablo Carreno Busta beat Argentine Nicolas Kicker 6-1, 7-5, while Nicolas Jarry defeated qualifier Ricardo Ojeda Lara 6-3, 7-6 (8/6).

Wenger’s 250th European fixture with Arsenal also to proved to be his last, decided by a typically ruthless finish from Costa, who delivered the sort of barnstorming display defenders must have nightmares about.

Arsenal’s defence, fragile and nervous throughout, were particularly susceptible and this 1-0 defeat, 2-1 on aggregate, means Wenger’s final season in charge will end with his team missing out on Champions League qualification for a second year in a row.

For all his domestic achievements, Wenger will also depart without a European trophy to his name and it remains to be seen how sitting outside the continent’s premier tournament will affect Arsenal’s pursuit of a new coach, and players, this summer.

“I’m very sad tonight,” Wenger said. “Unfortunately you have to go through that – the game can be very cruel, sometimes very nice, but the suffering is very strong tonight.”

More immediately, there was the concerning sight of Laurent Koscielny being carried off on a stretcher in the 12th minute after the defender went down, with nobody near him, clutching his left Achilles.

“It doesn’t look very good, it’s his Achilles,” Wenger said. “You can always hope for a miracle in the scan but if he has a ruptured Achilles, his chances for the World Cup are non-existent.”

Koscielny’s exit made a tough task all the more difficult for Arsenal, who were always going to be up against it at the Wanda Metropolitano, where Atletico have not lost in the league all season and not conceded a goal since January.

It was perhaps also telling that Costa’s physicality and Atletico’s defensive rigour ultimately proved decisive, two qualities Wenger’s Arsenal in recent years have so lacked.

“Costa came back here for nights like this,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “To be important, to lead from the front. This side needs an aggressive striker and that’s exactly what he is.”

Costa was hunting Arsenal’s back four from the outset as he wrestled past Koscielny, knocked over Nacho Monreal before firing wide with only David Ospina to beat.

Koscielny was substituted soon after, replaced by Calum Chambers, but Arsenal enjoyed one of their best spells midway through the half, dominating possession and reducing Atletico to a series of rushed clearances.

– Clinical Costa –

At the back, however, they were shaky, as Ospina had balls booted out of his grasp by his teammates on more than one occasion while their passing out of the back was too often careless.

By the end of the half, Atletico had regained the ascendancy and in injury-time, they struck. Granit Xhaka’s weak header put Arsenal on the back foot and Antoine Griezmann threaded through to Costa.

He held off Hector Bellerin with ease before coolly finishing past Ospina.

Arsenal came again after the interval. Aaron Ramsey bundled his way through but the ball would not fall for him six yards out while Mesut Ozil flashed too sumptuous deliveries across the face of goal.

Griezmann could have put the tie to bed after Costa had turned Shkodran Mustafi inside out but the defender recovered just in time to block.

A vintage Costa performance would not be complete without a scuffle and he provided it when Mustafi tried too enthusiastically to grab the ball off him for a free-kick.

Both players were booked and when Costa was substituted soon after, the striker was given a standing ovation.

Arsenal piled forward late on in search of an equaliser but in truth, their night ended without them really creating a clear-cut chance.

When the final whistle blew, Wenger marched straight down the tunnel as around him, Atletico’s celebrations began.

In February, the IOC opened an investigation into the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) and said concerns remained over possible match-fixing at Rio 2016.

Amateur boxing’s under-fire rulers handed over a crucial report on internal reforms to the IOC last month.

“This report shows some progress and a good will but still lacks execution and substance in some areas,” IOC president Thomas Bach said.

“Our concerns on governance, financial and sporting integrity are continuing and we think that we now need to see actions,” he added after a meeting of the IOC’s executive committee in Lausanne.

“Therefore we retain our right to exclude boxing from Tokyo 2020.”

Boxing had also faced being axed from next October’s Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, but Bach said the sport would remain part of the programme “under one condition”.

“We want to see the refereeing system and the appointment of judges. We want to see this approved by international and independent expertise,” Bach explained.

The IOC gave AIBA an extension until July 11 to take further action and present additional information ahead of the next executive board meeting, scheduled for July 17-18.

Bach also said in February the IOC was “extremely worried about the governance of AIBA”, which has as its interim president Gafur Rakhimov, a controversial Uzbekistan businessman.

But he said Thursday: “This is not a personal matter, as I explained there are serious factual issues which have to be addressed and that AIBA has to take into account. This can not be reduced to a personal matter.”

Victory in any of Liverpool’s three remaining games of the season at Stamford Bridge, home to Brighton on the final day of the Premier League season or against the might of Real Madrid in the Champions League final will secure qualification.

But for Klopp’s peace of mind and to rest a tiring squad with a growing injury list, getting the job done by securing at least a point this weekend is the ideal scenario.

“Do we have the widest squad in world football in the moment? No, we don’t have it,” said Klopp.

“That this group go to the final is exceptional. We get all the knocks over the season, all the injuries in the wrong moments and we still have to carry on.”

Liverpool’s European exploits have undoubtedly hampered what seemed a comfortable path to a top-four finish just a few weeks ago.

Three draws in their past four league outings with Everton, West Brom and Stoke as Klopp prioritised Champions League progress have allowed fifth-placed Chelsea to close to within six points of the Anfield club.

The Londoners also have three games remaining to Liverpool’s two, meaning if Antonio Conte’s deposed champions win their remaining fixtures they will, at worst, finish level on points with the Champions League finalists.

However, Liverpool’s far superior goal difference means just a point on Sunday or victory against Brighton should suffice.

“It’s not like we can say now we are qualified for the Champions League. Chelsea at the weekend is an unbelievably important game for us,” added Klopp.

“We recover tomorrow and then we go to Chelsea and they have again the knife between the teeth and will fight for everything.”

– Kane chasing Salah –

As Liverpool have stumbled, a late-season renaissance has kept Chelsea’s challenge alive with four straight wins also taking them to the FA Cup final, where they will face Manchester United.

Tottenham split Liverpool and Chelsea in the table but have an easier run-in against West Brom, Newcastle and Leicester to try and secure Champions League football for a third consecutive season.

Harry Kane was on target in Monday’s 2-0 win over Watford to take his tally for the season to 38 and the Spurs striker still harbours hopes of chasing down the four goals he trails Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah by to win a third straight Premier League golden boot.

“Every striker in every country wants to win the golden boot. I want to win at everything, whether it’s the golden boot or every game,” said Kane.

Victory for Spurs at The Hawthorns would send West Brom down to the Championship despite a brave battle to avoid the drop in recent weeks.

Despite taking eight points from their past four games, The Baggies remain five points adrift of safety and even victory might not be enough to prevent them being relegated this weekend if other results go against them.

Second-bottom Stoke have to end a 12-game winless run at home to Crystal Palace to retain any hope of survival.

Southampton are the third side currently in the relegation zone and face a huge trip to 17th-placed Swansea, one place and one point above them in the table, on Tuesday.

However, both sides could pull a host of other clubs into the relegation dogfight should Saints win at Everton and Swansea at Bournemouth.

Huddersfield are precariously placed just three points above the drop zone and begin a devilishly difficult run-in by trying to stop champions Manchester City’s quest for points, goals and wins records on the day they will get their hands on the Premier League trophy.

Elsewhere, Burnley can guarantee qualification for next season’s Europa League if they take a point at Arsenal or if Everton fail to beat Southampton.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Brighton v Manchester United (1900)

Saturday

Stoke v Crystal Palace (1130), Watford v Newcastle United, West Brom v Tottenham, Leicester v West Ham, Bournemouth v Swansea (all 1400), Everton v Southampton (1630)

Sunday

Manchester City v Huddersfield (1230), Chelsea v Liverpool, Arsenal v Burnley (1530)

Ozil’s performance was heavily criticised by former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, who said the German had cried “crocodile tears” after the game, and was “not fit to wear the shirt”.

Diego Costa’s strike proved decisive at the Wanda Metropolitano where a 1-0 victory secured Atletico a 2-1 win on aggregate and a place in the final against Marseille.

Defeat ends Wenger’s hopes of leaving Arsenal on a high as his team missed out on a shot at a major trophy and squandered their last chance to qualify for the Champions League.

“I’m very sad tonight,” Wenger said. “Unfortunately you have to go through that — the game can be very cruel, sometimes very nice, but the suffering is very strong tonight.

“Looking at the chances over the two games the least we could say is we are very frustrated. The tie should have been over in the first game.”

It remains to be seen how another season outside Europe’s premier tournament will affect Arsenal’s search both for a new coach, and new signings, this summer.

“The club now has to think about what to do for next season,” Wenger said. “I think there are some good ingredients in our team and they will bounce back. With the right additions in the summer I think they can compete next year.”

– ‘We expect better’ –

Keown, however, was less optimistic and reserved a particularly harsh assessment for Ozil.

“He wasn’t fit to wear the shirt tonight,” Keown told BT Sport. “I’ve seen this a lot this season and it needs to be said. He needs to be dug out. We expect better from him.

“These are crocodile tears I’m seeing from the player. He’s not conning me.”

Keown added: “I bet he doesn’t play again this season. He’ll have some emotional breakdown and won’t play this weekend.”

When Keown’s comments were put to Wenger, he said: “I don’t agree with that. You will see that he gave a lot. It was a difficult team, physically very intense.

“I’m convinced that Ozil should not be criticised by anyone just because he did not score. We had plenty of opportunities and we lose as a team.”

Wenger also delivered an update on the fitness of Laurent Koscielny, who had to be carried off on a stretcher in the 12th minute after the defender went down, with nobody near him, clutching his left Achilles.

Arsenal and France now face an anxious wait.

“It doesn’t look very good, it’s his Achilles,” Wenger said. “You can always hope for a miracle in the scan but if he has a ruptured Achilles, his chances for the World Cup are non-existent.”

Costa was the star of the show, providing the tenacity and killer instinct Arsenal so desperately lacked.

“Costa came back here for nights like this,” Atletico coach Diego Simeone said. “To be important, to lead from the front. This side needs an aggressive striker and that’s exactly what he is.”

The Saraburi-based player celebrated her 16th birthday with three birdies on both the front and back nines to win her first crown after two years on the pro circuit. Her three-day total of eight-under-par-208 made it impossible for other competitors to catch her, with runner-up Chakansim Khamborn coming in second after a final 70 for even-par 216.

“Winning your first title on your birthday is so special. I’m extremely happy,” said the Saraburi Wittayakom School student whose eight-stroke victory is the biggest winning margin on the Thai LPGA Tour by far this season.

“I was playing well the whole day as I had no pressure at all. Too bad my mother couldn’t be here to celebrate with me, so this win is for her” back at home in Saraburi.

Apichaya, or “Piano” as she’s known to friends and family, may have earned Bt142,500 in prize money but she has no plans to spend it herself. She will donate Bt20,000 for a scholarship to her school while the rest will be given to her 14-year-old brother Chaiyawattana, who was carrying the bag for her this week. “I promised I would give him all the money if I won. I have to keep my word,” she said.

The Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Tour will next stop at the Rayong Green Valley Country Club between June 2 and 8.