MELBOURNE, Australia - When Viktor Troicki was banned from tennis for failing to provide a blood sample for a drug test, he was so angry he needed a little distance from the game.He went skiing — a lot. He spent time with family and travelled with his good friend, Novak Djokovic.I just had fun, he said.After some time, though, Troickis mind started to return to the court.When you are forbidden to do something that you love, you start missing it a lot, he said. You want to get back and be there again and be even better and prove to the world that you can be there again.Troicki is making the most of his second chance at the start of 2015. After capturing just the second title of his career at the Sydney International last week, hes now into the third round of the Australian Open after upsetting Leonardo Mayer, the 26th seed from Argentina, on Wednesday.Im trying to use any chance, any match, any tournament, he said. Its going well.Troicki and the International Tennis Federation differ over what actually happened when the Serbian player was asked to give a blood sample during the 2013 Monte Carlo Masters.Troicki said he provided a urine sample but wasnt feeling well and asked to give blood the following day, which the doping control officer permitted him to do. His urine tests later came back negative.An ITF tribunal panel, however, sided with the doping control officers version of events, saying in its ruling: Her response was that this was not a matter upon which she could advise the player.Troicki appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and his original 18-month ban was reduced to 12 months.The Serb, who was once ranked as high as No. 12, takes accountability for his decision not to provide the sample that day and said he isnt bitter about losing a year of his career.But he wants to make one thing clear.I never refused (to take the blood test). Thats what hurts me. I want everyone to know that I never refused anything, he said.Troicki had the support of many of his fellow players during his suspension, including Djokovic. In fact, Troicki would travel to cities where Djokovic was playing to practice with him and other players away from the tournament sites, where he wasnt permitted to be.Then, after the suspension was lifted in July, he began his comeback. Because his ranking wasnt protected, he had to play on the challenger circuit and try to qualify for ATP tournaments again.It gave me some memories back when I was starting (my career), he said. I knew Id done it once, so why not do it again?By the end of 2014, he had boosted his ranking enough to gain direct entry into the Australian Open — his first major in more than a year. And now he has a chance to reach the fourth round — matching his previous best result at a Grand Slam tournament — if he beats No. 7 seed Tomas Berdych.I never thought of giving up, he said. That work is paying off now. 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Authentic Mark Jackson Jersey .Murray has played 20 matches in five weeks, winning three titles to climb to fifth in the ATP Race.The two-time Grand Slam champion also seeks to qualify for next months ATP World Tour Finals.Murray said: I always wanted to qualify for it, but also I want to get back into the top 8 players in the world and it makes a huge difference for seedings in the major events.Kansas City, KS (SportsNetwork.com) - Time is running out for Regan Smith to catch his JR Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott in the Nationwide Series championship point standings. With just five races remaining, Elliott, a rookie in the series this season, holds a 26-point lead over Smith. Nationwide is running at Kansas on Saturday and then Charlotte next week. The series will take a two-week break before the season concludes with Texas (Nov. 1), Phoenix (Nov. 8) and Homestead (Nov. 15). Four of the final five races will be contested on 1.5-mile racetracks, including Kansas. On Friday, Smith confirmed that he has signed a one-year contract extension with JR Motorsports, a Nationwide team co-owned by Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Miller, and NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick. Earnhardt had announced Smiths new agreement earlier this week on Twitter. @ReganSmith and @JRMotorsports just finished the paperwork that keeps him in the 7 car for 2015. Couldnt be more pleased about this, Earnhardt tweeted on Wednesday. Smith, the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet, made his Nationwide debut with JRM in the 2012 season-finale at Homestead, a race in which he scored his first career victory in the series. Last year, Smith finished third in Nationwide points. He has scored one win and a series-best 24 top-10 finishes this season. Excited to be back, Smith said of his contract renewal with JRM. Ive been fortunate to have a great place to call home and a great place to race at with good people, good sponsors and fast race cars.dddddddddddd As a driver, thats something you always look for and its important. You want to have an opportunity to go out there and showcase what you can do every week, and Im fortunate enough to have that. As bosses, Dale, Kelley and Mr. H. (Hendrick) have been absolutely amazing to me. Ive learned a lot over the past two years. And Im sure I will learn a lot more next year. One year ago at Kansas, Smith led a race-high 81 laps but ended up finishing third after he was on pit road just before a caution came out and had to rally late in the race. The season is really starting to wind down, and now is the time we have to be making gains in the points, he said. At this point, we have to be finishing better than our competition. There isnt any room left for mistakes or poor finishes. Elliott will compete in a NASCAR national touring series race at Kansas for the first time. Two of his three wins in Nationwide this season have occurred on a 1.5-mile track (Texas and Chicagoland). Forty-three teams are on the entry list for the Kansas Lottery 300. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Matt Kenseth and Paul Menard are those Sprint Cup regulars scheduled to compete in this race. Kenseth is the race defending winner. Series: NASCAR Nationwide. Date: Saturday, Oct. 4. Race: Kansas Lottery 300. Site: Kansas Speedway. Track: 1.5-mile oval. Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET. Laps: 200. Miles: 300. 2013 Winner: Matt Kenseth. Television: ESPN2. 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