TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2016 SPORTS Petrova denies wrongdoing after positive meldonium test SOFIA: Bulgarian triple jumper touched it in 2016.” Beijing last year, failed an out-of-com- Portland, Oregon earlier this month. she said. “It doesn’t sound logical for Gabriela Petrova, runner-up at the 2015 Meldonium, which helps boost petition drug test on Feb. 6. The 23- “She was ready to win the world title 150 athletes to have taken the banned European indoor championships in blood flow and increases the amount year-old has joined a long list of ath- but I decided it was better not to par- substance in an Olympic year.” Prague, has denied any wrong-doing of oxygen taken in by the body, allow- letes, including former world tennis ticipate because we received the infor- The use of meldonium was wide- after testing positive for the banned ing athletes to recover faster while number one Maria Sharapova of Russia, mation about the positive test several spread before the ban. One study substance meldonium. training, was added to the World Anti- who have recorded positive tests for days before the championship,” said showed 490 athletes at last year’s “I have not violated, in any way, the Doping Agency’s list of banned sub- meldonium. “It has nothing to do with coach Atanas Atanasov. European Games in Baku had taken it. anti-doping rules and I can move on stances on Jan. 1. Since then, more the Sharapova case,” Petrova said. “She Petrova, named Bulgaria’s Athlete of Grindeks, the Latvian company that with my head held high,” Petrova told a than 100 athletes have been found to said she took the medication in 2016 to the Year in December, is hoping she is the main supplier of the drug, says news conference at the Vasil Levski sta- have used it. treat a health problem.” will avoid a suspension and be able to the substance could protect athletes dium on Monday. “I stopped taking Petrova, who also finished fourth at The Bulgarian pulled out of the compete at the Rio Olympics in August. from cell damage but is unlikely to this medication in September. I haven’t the world outdoor championships in world indoor championships in “I believe the truth will be revealed,” improve their performance. —Reuters Djokovic powers into Miami last 16 MIAMI: World number one Novak Djokovic Wells winner Victoria Azarenka, who each advanced to the fourth round of the ATP upset world number one Serena Williams in and WTA Miami Open on Sunday, defeating the final to win those titles, reached the last Portugal’s 38th-ranked Joao Sousa 6-4, 6-1. 16 on the women’s side. German second Two-time defending champion seed Kerber advanced 1-6, 6-2, 3-0 when Djokovic, trying to match Andre Agassi’s 108th-ranked Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens record of six career Miami titles, needed retired due to illness. only 78 minutes to win his 12th match in a “I was not finding a rhythm at the begin- row at the hardcourt event and 26th in his ning of the match,” Kerber said. “I had to past 27 Miami starts. “That first set could stay strong, believe and keep fighting. I have gone either way,” Djokovic said. “I hope she gets well soon but I’m glad to be managed to hit the right balls at the right in the next round.” moment and make it to the finish.” The 28- Kerber next faces Hungary’s 49th- year-old Serbian, who won his 11th Grand ranked Timea Babos, who ousted 18-year- Slam crown at the Australian Open two old Japanese 104th-ranked wildcard Naomi months ago, also has crowns at Doha and Osaka 7-5, 6-0. Eighth-ranked Azarenka, a Indian Wells this year and hopes to com- 26-year-old from Belrus who won 2009 and plete the Miami-Indian Wells sweep for the 2011 Miami titles, eliminated Polish qualifi- third consecutive year. er Magda Linette 6-3, 6-0. She next faces Djokovic’s next foe will be Austrian 14th last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, Garbine seed Dominic Thiem, who dispatched Muguruza. The Spanish fourth seed ripped 124th-ranked Japanese qualifier Yoshihito 74th-ranked US wildcard Nicole Gibbs 6-1, Nishioka 6-2, 6-2 in 64 minutes. 6-0 in 55 minutes. “He has one of the most powerful base- Two-time Australian Open champion line games in tennis,” Djokovic said of Azarenka is trying to become only the third Thiem. “He likes to construct his points so I woman to take Indian Wells and Miami in will try and take away his time. He’s had the same year after Graf in 1994 and 1996 one of the best years of his life. He’s beaten and Kim Clijsters in 2005. Nadal on clay. He’s one of the players in the next generation we should all look out for.” FEDERER FILL-IN WINS AGAIN VANCOUVER: Vancouver Canucks’ Sven Baertschi, left, of Switzerland, scores against Chicago Blackhawks’ goalie Scott Darling, second right, as Thiem captured his fifth career ATP title last Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos, a lucky los- Teuvo Teravainen (86), of Finland, and Viktor Svedberg, right, of Sweden, defend during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, month by beating Australia’s Bernard Tomic er who replaced Roger Federer in the draw British Columbia, Sunday. — AP in the Acapulco final and downed 14-time when the 17-time Grand Slam champion Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal on the withdrew due to illness, advanced to the way to a Buenos Aires claycourt crown. “I’m fourth round by overcoming Spain’s sure he wants to showcase all that he’s got Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). in his arsenal but I will be sure to be ready Zeballos, ranked 112th, had not won a Crosby nets OT winner, for him,” Djokovic said. match since last July before beating coun- Sousa fell to 0-3 against Djokovic and 1- tryman Juan Martin Del Potro in the second 21 against top-10 foes with his 19th such round. After winning two in a row for the loss in a row since beating David Ferrer in first time in more than two years, he faces Penguins top Rangers 3-2 Kuala Lumpur in 2013. “He came out with a Indian Wells semi-finalist David Goffin for a clear game plan,” said Djokovic. “He wanted quarter-final berth. “Life changed for me a to take his chances. He did not have much lot here,” Zeballos said. “Beating ‘DelPo’ and NEW YORK: Sidney Crosby scored on a deflec- Daley at the left faceoff circle and shot from the (36-32-8), who had a three-game points streak to lose. It can be dangerous. I know the Verdasco, two better players than me, I tion at 4:30 of overtime and the surging point. Cullen tipped the rebound past Lundqvist snapped. importance of stepping up a few levels and greatly improved both the ranking and Pittsburgh Penguins beat the New York Rangers at 15:49. It was Cullen’s 13th goal of the season. delivering my ‘A’ game.” economically.” 3-2 Sunday night in a potential first-round play- BLACKHAWKS 3, CANUCKS 2 The South American is assured $67,590, off preview. Matt Cullen and Phil Kessel also HURRICANES 3, DEVILS 2 Andrew Ladd scored the winning goal with KERBER, AZARENKA ADVANCE which will help since his wife is due to give scored for the Penguins, who have won eight of Goalie Cam Ward came up a big after a 2:27 left in the third period as the Chicago Reigning Australian Open champion birth to their first child on April 10. “I am liv- nine. Marc-Andre Fleury made 25 saves. Eric midgame rough stretch, and the Carolina Blackhawks used a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Angelique Kerber and last week’s Indian ing happy moments,” he said. —AFP Staal scored twice for New York, which had won Hurricanes defeated the New Jersey Devils 3-2 Canucks to clinch a playoff spot Sunday. three straight. Kevin Hayes and Jesper Fast Sunday at PNC Arena. Ward finished with 23 Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa had a two- assisted on both of Staal’s goals. Henrik saves, stopping all nine shots in the third period. on-one breakaway. Instead of shooting, Toews Lundqvist stopped 29 shots. Victor Rask scored twice and Ron Hainsey had a dropped the puck back to Ladd, who beat Derick Brassard was called for high-sticking goal for the Hurricanes (33-28-15). Bobby Vancouver goaltender Ryan Miller for his 23rd with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to give Farnham and Travis Zajac scored for the Devils goal of the season. —Reuters Pittsburgh a power play in the extra period. But the Rangers killed it off before Kris Letang’s wrist NHL Results/Standings shot from the point ricocheted in off Crosby in front. Staal entered with one goal in 13 games with the Rangers since joining the team at the NY Rangers 2, Pittsburgh 3 (OT); Vancouver 2, Chicago 3; Carolina 3, New Jersey 2. trade deadline in a deal with Carolina. It was his Eastern Conference Western Conference second multigoal game of the season. Atlantic Division Pacific Division The Rangers took advantage of a Penguins W L OT GF GA PTS Dallas 45 22 9 247 218 99 turnover to take a 2-1 lead early in the second Florida 42 24 9 216 184 93 St.