LONDON -- Serbias Viktor Troicki has been banned for 18 months for failing to provide a blood sample during an anti-doping test before the Monte Carlo Masters in April. The International Tennis Federation said in a statement Thursday that the 53rd-ranked Troicki had provided a urine sample, but not a blood sample, and therefore had violated anti-doping rules. His ban will end Jan. 24, 2015. Canada plays Serbia in Davis Cup in September. Troicki, who is competing at the Croatia Open this week at Umag, told a news conference on Thursday that "this is the toughest moment of my career and of my life." "I am innocent," he said. "I have never ever taken any prohibited substance or ever thought of doing so. I did not lie and this really hurts." Troicki had told an independent tribunal that he had been assured by the Doping Control Officer at the event that it would be acceptable not to provide blood as he had been feeling unwell that day, the ITF said. However, the tribunal ruled that the officer had in fact told Troicki "she could not advise him as to whether his reason for not providing a blood sample was valid, and that no such assurances were given by her. "Accordingly, the tribunal determined that Mr Troickis actions constituted a failure and a refusal to provide a blood sample, and that his explanation for not doing so did not constitute compelling justification..." In addition to the suspension, the ITF said Troickis results at the Monte Carlo Masters would be erased, and that he would forfeit both ATP ranking points and prize money from the event. Troicki lost his opening match at the tournament, going down 6-1, 6-2 to Jarkko Nieminen. Balenciaga Shoes On Sale . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. Cheap Balenciaga Free Shipping . 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Middleweights Curtis Stevens and James de la Rosa, already scheduled to fight on the non-televised undercard of unified light heavyweight titlist Sergey Kovalevs defense against Andre Ward on Nov. 19 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, will now get to perform for a much wider audience.The scheduled 10-round bout was elevated to the televised portion of the HBO PPV card (9 p.m. ET) on Wednesday, promoters Main Events and Roc Nation Sports announced.Main Events, which promotes Kovalev, and Roc Nation Sports, which represents Ward, each made their bouts on their own for the pay-per-view, but the fourth fight of the telecast was supposed to be the bout they made together matching their boxers.When they were unable to finalize a fight that they could agree on, or one that was worthy of being on the pay-per-view, Stevens-de la Rosa, a Main Events match made a few weeks ago, was bumped up to the telecast.The fight will be the second in row for Stevens (28-5, 21 KOs), 31, a former world title challenger from Brooklyn, New York, on HBO PPV. He fought on the Canelo Alvarez-Amir Khan HBO PPV undercard in May and scored an impressive second-round upset knockout of then-undefeated Patrick Teixeira.Stevens, who lost a world title challenge by eighth-round knockout to Gennady Golovkin in 2013, was happy to have his next fight added to another HBO PPV telecast.ddddddddddddI know it is Kovalev-Ward but now it is Kovalev-Ward-Stevens, he said.De la Rosa (23-4, 13 KOs), 28, of Harlingen, Texas, has lost his last two fights. His last victory, an upset 10-round decision win against Alfredo Angulo in 2014, was on the Showtime PPV undercard of Floyd Mayweathers second victory against Marcos Maidana.I am happy to fight on the PPV telecast, de la Rosa said. I need this win so Ill leave it all in the ring come Nov. 19.Promoter Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events, said once it was clear that Main Events and Roc Nation Sports were not going to be able to put together another fight in time for the remaining pay-per-view slot, the decision was made to go with Stevens-de la Rosa.After we announced Curtis would be fighting on the untelevised portion of the Kovalev-Ward PPV card, we heard from a lot of fans asking that the fight be moved to TV so they could see Curtis, Duva said. What the fans want, the fans get. ' ' '