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Son of Clippers owner Sterling found dead in Malibu

Son of Clippers owner Sterling found dead in Malibu

MALIBU, Calif. — The son of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling was found dead of an apparent drug overdose at his Malibu home, authorities said Wednesday.

The body of Scott Ashley Sterling, 32, was found shortly after 11:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 22600-block of Pacific Coast Highway, Los Angeles County coroner’s Lt. Larry Dietz said.

Deputies dispatched to check on Sterling’s welfare found his body. A friend of Sterling’s said he hadn’t been heard from for several days, according to a statement from the county Sheriff’s Department.

Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

Dietz said the death appeared to be accidental, but an autopsy was planned to determine the exact cause of death.

In 1999, Scott Sterling, then 19, was arrested for shooting his friend with a shotgun. Beverly Hills police said Philip Scheid was shot in the legs during an argument at Donald Sterling’s mansion. Scheid said he was shot from behind while running away. Sterling said he fired in self-defense after Scheid approached him with a knife. The county district attorney’s office declined to file criminal charges, citing credibility problems with the victim.

Scott Sterling’s father is a multimillionaire, a philanthropist and owner of a basketball team that recently had a 17-game winning streak — a franchise record. That streak ended Tuesday night with a 92-78 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Wife of ex-Brave Andrew Jones files for divorce

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. — The wife of former Atlanta Braves star Andruw Jones has filed for divorce about a week after she accused him of grabbing her neck and saying he wanted to kill her.

A divorce complaint filed Monday by Nicole Jones in a suburban Atlanta court says their 10-year marriage is “irretrievably broken.”

According to a Gwinnett County police report, the pair had a fight around 1:30 a.m. Christmas Day after Nicole Jones asked her husband to help prepare their home for the morning. She told police Andruw Jones dragged her down a staircase, grabbed her neck and said he wanted to kill her.

Nicole Jones’ lawyer, John Mayoue, declined to comment Wednesday. It was not immediately clear whether Andruw Jones had a lawyer.

Djokovic loses to Tomic in Hopman Cup

PERTH, Australia — Bernard Tomic upset top-ranked Novak Djokovic 6-4, 6-4 but Australia lost to Serbia 2-1 at the Hopman Cup on Wednesday.

Ana Ivanovic evened the round-robin event by overwhelming Australian 16-year-old Ashleigh Barty 6-2, 6-3. Barty made a positive start, but once Ivanovic made the first break to lead 4-2 she took control. The Serbians combined to win the mixed doubles 6-4, 6-7 (8), 10-6.

Tomic put Djokovic under pressure right from the start, holding five break points in the opening game. Djokovic survived that threat and held a break point of his own to lead 5-3 but netted a backhand. Tomic broke serve in the next game with a crosscourt forehand winner and served out the set.

He kept up the pressure in the second set, failing to convert a break point to lead 4-3. But he won his sixth break point at 5-4 and he served out his first win over Djokovic in four tries.

Davydenko, Monfils reach quarterfinals in Qatar

DOHA, Qatar — Nikolay Davydenko reached the Qatar Open quarterfinals by beating fourth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 7-5, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Once ranked as high as No. 3, Davydenko has struggled in recent years because of injuries. But the Russian combined a consistent first serve with aggressive play to unnerve the 25th-ranked Youzhny.

Gael Monfils defeated third-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.

Davydenko broke his opponent to take a 6-5 lead in the first set and won when Youzhny hit a forehand into the net. Davydenko kept the momentum going into the second set, forcing Youzhny to save a break point in the first and third games. At 2-2, Davydenko won three straight games to take control.

“Tough match,” said Davydenko, who won the tournament in Doha three years ago. “Maybe we didn’t start well with so many mistakes. I know against Russians when you play in second round, it’s not easy.”

Tipsarevic wins, Haase loses in second round

CHENNAI, India — Second-seeded Janko Tipsarevic beat French player Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-2, 6-3 Wednesday in the second round of the Chennai Open.

Tipsarevic, who had a bye in the first round, took a 3-0 lead and maintained the tempo to set up a quarterfinal match with Go Soeda of Japan.

Also, Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia defeated sixth-seeded Robin Haase of the Netherlands 7-5, 6-3, and fourth-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka beat German qualifier Cedrik Marcel-Stebe 6-4, 6-3.

Soeda beat Indian qualifier Prakash Amritraj 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-4.

Azarenka wins; Stephens vs Williams in Brisbane

BRISBANE, Australia — Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka opened her 2013 season with a 6-3, 6-3 win Wednesday over Sabine Lisicki to join No. 3 Serena Williams and fourth-seeded Angelique Kerber in the Brisbane International quarterfinals.

American Sloane Stephens had a 6-3, 6-4 win over Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson to set up a quarterfinal against Williams. She’ll face a childhood hero.

“Obviously, she’s been a really great influence in my tennis,” the 19-year-old Stephens said. “I’m excited to play her and get on the court with her. I think it’ll be fun.”

From wire sources