ESPN Tennis

TOKYO -- Argentina's Mariano Puerta remained defiant Thursday, a day after being accused of doping by French sports newspaper L'Equipe.

The newspaper reported Wednesday that Puerta tested positive for a banned drug following his loss at the French Open final and faces a possible life ban for a second doping offense.

The top-seeded Puerta was upset in the third round of the Japan Open on Thursday by unseeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-2, 6-7(11), 7-5. After the match, Puerta reiterated a denial he made the previous day.

"I have not taken any illegal substances as reported," Puerta said after the match. "I was suspended two years ago and would never do anything like that again."

L'Equipe reported, without citing sources, that Puerta tested positive for the stimulant etilefrine after his four-set loss to Spain's Rafael Nadal in the June 5 French Open final. Puerta, ranked No. 10, served a nine-month suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol in February 2003 at an ATP tournament in Chile.

Puerta said he has talked to his lawyers but did not specify any legal action that he intends to take.

According to L'Equipe, Puerta told associates he had taken medication to fight the flu at the time of the French Open, which the Argentine also denied Thursday.

"I did not have a cold before or during the French Open," said Puerta. "I didn't take any cold medicine at that time."

Puerta did say he saw a doctor and took an anti-inflammatory between the semifinals and the finals of the French Open.

He said the allegations were not the reason for his defeat Thursday.

"The allegations didn't affect me," Puerta said. "I played as well as I could. He just played better."

In August, L'Equipe reported that U.S. cyclist Lance Armstrong tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug EPO during the first of his seven Tour de France victories in 1999. Armstrong denies the accusations.

American Taylor Dent, who won his second-round match at the Japan Open earlier Thursday, said there are flaws in the system.

"I'm disappointed in the system," Dent said. "This agency is leaking these results prematurely. I think Lance Armstrong was wrongly accused and it may be the same for Mariano."

But Dent said Puerta will have to pay the price if found guilty.

"If he's found guilty, it's unfair and penalties will have to be enforced," Dent said.

Ancic, who rebounded from a shaky first set to get past American Jan-Michael Gambill 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 earlier in the day, defeated France's Cyril Saulnier 6-2, 6-1 in the third round. Also, third-seeded American Robby Ginepri defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarters, and will face Bjorn Phau after the German cruised past Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 6-1, 6-2.

In second-round matches, second-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic beat compatriot Jiri Vanek 7-5, 6-4; fourth-seeded American Taylor Dent defeated Russia's Dmitry Tursunov 6-3, 7-6 (3); No. 7 Jarkko Nieminen of Finland beat Germany's Rainer Schuettler 6-1, 6-1; Peru's Luis Horna edged Roko Karanusic of Croatia 6-2, 7-5; and Australian Wayne Arthurs rallied to beat Juan Monaco of Argentina, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

In women's play, top-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia downed Israel's Shahar Peer 6-3, 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinals. She will face India's Sania Mirza, who defeated Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-1.

Other third-round winners included second-seeded Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic, No. 3 Tatiana Golovin of France, No. 4 Maria Kirilenko of Russia, Japan's Ai Sugiyama and Sweden's Sofia Arvidsson.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press