SPORTS DIGEST || Djokovic wins, and again faces questions

Djokovic wins, and again faces questions

MELBOURNE, Australia

For the second time in three days, Novak Djokovic won a match at the Australian Open and was confronted by questions about match-fixing in the sport.

The five-time champion had just beaten 19-year-old French wild-card entry Quentin Halys 6-1, 6-2, 7-6 (3) in the second round on Wednesday night — his 34th win in his last 35 matches at Melbourne Park — when his news conference veered to questions about the issue that has overshadowed the start of the season’s first major.

After his second-round win, he was asked about an Italian newspaper report casting doubt over his performance in a match against Fabrice Santoro in Paris in 2007.

Djokovic said the speculation was getting out of control.

“What (is there) to say? I’ve lost that match. I don’t know if you’re trying to create a story about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds. I think it’s just absurd,” Djokovic said. “It’s not true.”

Serena Williams set a record when she played her 79th main draw match at the Australian Open, and beat No. 90-ranked Hsieh Su-wei 6-1, 6-2.

In the biggest upset of the day, two-time Wimbledon champion and sixth-seeded Petra Kvitova was beaten 6-4, 6-4 by Russian-born Australian Daria Gavrilova.

Williams’ next opponent will be 18-year-old Russian Daria Kasatkina, who beat Croatia’s Ana Konjuh 6-4, 6-3, and she faces a potential quarterfinal match against 2015 finalist Maria Sharapova, who reached the third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Aliaksandra Sasnovich.

No. 13 Roberta Vinci beat Irina Falconi 6-2, 6-3 to advance, and is a potential fourth-round rival for No. 4 Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 6-2 in a match featuring two former Wimbledon finalists.

Elliott, Jaskin lead Blues over Red Wings

DETROIT

Brian Elliott stopped 29 shots, Dmitri Jaskin scored a key third-period goal, and the St. Louis Blues beat the Detroit Red Wings 2-1 Wednesday night.

Ty Rattie also scored for St. Louis. Elliott came within 2:13 of becoming the first goalie in 69 games to shut out the Red Wings, but Henrik Zetterberg spoiled his bid with a power-play goal through Justin Abdelkader’s screen.

Detroit pulled Petr Mrazek with two minutes left, but their momentum was destroyed when Dylan Larkin took a penalty with 58 seconds to play. Mrazek finished with 18 saves.

Tigers introduce Upton after announcing deal

DETROIT

The Detroit Tigers have finalized their $132.75 million, six-year contract with free-agent outfielder Justin Upton.

The Tigers introduced Upton at a news conference Wednesday. The 28-year-old gives Detroit another powerful bat in the middle of the lineup and fills a need in left field after Detroit dealt slugger Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline last year. It was another big move for the Tigers, who are coming off a last-place finish in 2015 but signed right-hander Jordan Zimmermann earlier this offseason.

Upton hit .251 with 26 homers and 81 RBIs for the San Diego Padres last season.

Rangers’ Darvish denies gambling

ARLINGTON, Texas

Texas Rangers pitcher Yu Darvish said he is not and has never been involved in gambling activities amid a Major League Baseball investigation after the arrest of his younger brother in Japan.

Darvish issued a statement through his agent Tuesday that says he understands MLB must conduct an investigation.

“I am certain that they will find that I had no involvement in this matter whatsoever,” Darvish said in the statement through his representatives at the Wasserman Media Group.

Sho Darvish was arrested in October in Japan for allegedly running an illegal gambling ring that reportedly took about 1,850 bets on MLB games as well as professional games in Japan.

Associated Press