Russian phenom violated contract

A Russian arbitration panel ruled that Pittsburgh Penguins rookie Evgeni Malkin violated his contract by leaving his Russian pro team to play in the NHL.

The ruling issued Friday appears to be meaningless unless Malkin’s former team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, can find a United States court to uphold the decision. The Russian Super League club also could sue the NHL or the Penguins.

Because Malkin left Russia and is in Pittsburgh’s camp, Magnitogorsk team officials have said they are resigned to losing him, but they apparently want to be compensated.

•Right wing Jere Lehtinen signed a two-year, $8 million contract extension with the Dallas Stars.

Tennis

Belgian overcomes

Her body fatigued and her eye irritated, Justine Henin-Hardenne came through for an already weakened Belgian team.

The French Open champion responded with a strong run in the second set to edge Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 7-5, leaving Belgium and Italy tied 1-1 after the opening day of the Fed Cup final in Charleroi, Belgium.

Francesca Schiavone gave Italy the early lead by beating inexperienced Kirsten Flipkens 6-1, 6-3 in the best-of-5 format.

•Marco Baghdatis reached his first final since the Australian Open, defeating Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to advance to the title match of the China Open in Beijing.

Baghdatis, seeded third, will play for the championship today against fourth-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia.

•Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia beat defending champion Lindsay Davenport 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) to reach the Wismilak International final in Bali, Indonesia.

Basketball

U.S. remains flawless

Candace Parker had 16 points and nine rebounds to help the undefeated United States rout Cuba 90-50 in the first game of second-round play in the Women’s World Basketball Championships in Sao Paolo, Brazil.

• Ohio State has filed an appeal in a bid to overturn a judge’s decision awarding $2.4 million to fired former men’s coach Jim O’Brien.

Miscellany

Agency sidesteps ban

The World Anti-Doping Agency held off on banning the use of hypoxic chambers, but asked that studies look further into health implications.

Hypoxic or hyperbaric tents and chambers are used by many athletes to replicate high-altitude conditions and boost levels of oxygen-rich red blood cells.

WADA’s scientific director, Olivier Rabin, said that side effects of using the chambers could include altitude sickness as well as sleep disturbance and could affect the response of the immune system.

•Mike Iaconelli won the Bassmaster Angler of the Year award, the top honor in the world of competitive fishing.