Top shot

Grant revels in Chelsea's revival

LONDON: Avram Grant believes Chelsea was a fading force before he took over and led his team to within touching distance of a Premier League and Champions League double.

When Grant replaced Jose Mourinho as Chelsea manager in September, the Israeli claims he found a club in danger of imploding.

Mourinho had fallen out with owner Roman Abramovich and the side's results had suffered before the Portuguese was forced out.

But Grant has managed to steady the ship in impressive fashion and now Chelsea could finish the season with two trophies.

"I just need to do my job and be professional as I came here on a mission," Grant told the BBC. "The club was a good club but on the way down. Now we are on the right way.

"It is very exciting when you are creating something, especially at Chelsea. Here you need to create and win.

"When we lost in the cup it was like a funeral. It is a big challenge for me and one that makes me happy.

"We have fantastic players and fantastic staff. We are also playing good football, exciting football."

Federer settles score with nemesis

ROME: Roger Federer settled a score with his bogey player Guillermo Canas on Tuesday, easing his way into the third round of the Rome Masters with a 6-3, 6-3 victory.

Canas went into the game as one of the few players on the tour to hold a winning record against the world No 1, but Tuesday's result evened things up at three victories apiece.

Federer made an assured start, breaking Canas in the middle of the first set before producing two aces and a delightful drop shot to hold his serve to love at the end of it.

The Argentine came closest to breaking his opponent in the sixth game of the second set, when Federer was lucky to save a break point with a net-cord winner.

Federer, beaten finalist here in 2003 and 2006, never looked back, breaking Canas's serve twice in the last three games.

Harrington pins hopes on 21

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida: Padraig Harrington cannot explain the European title drought at the Players Championship but is banking on 21 being a lucky number this week.

Britain's Sandy Lyle was the last European to triumph at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass, doing so 21 years ago in 1987.

In a curious coincidence, 21 Europeans are in this week's field of 144 bidding to win a PGA Tour event widely regarded as the unofficial fifth major.

"If there is a reason why Europeans haven't won since 1987, I don't know," British Open champion Harrington told reporters at Sawgrass on Tuesday. "We must be due and I have a 1-in-21 chance if it's a numbers game.

"But unfortunately, the other players this week are not going to consider that there's 21 Europeans and they deserve a chance to win.

"From my own sense this week, I don't hold the burden that no European has won since Sandy Lyle," the 36-year-old Irishman added.

"I'm an individual going out here trying to compete against the other guys."

Davidson's career skid

LONDON: British driver Anthony Davidson refused to give up on his Formula One career after his Super Aguri team withdrew from the championship on Tuesday.

"It's a difficult time of year to suffer this bitter blow, but I'll bounce back," he told BBC radio.

"I'm fully confident of my ability behind the wheel, and I'm sure things will be better in the future for me," added the 29-year-old.

"I'll hang on in there. I have to stick to Formula One. That's the priority at the moment and for the future. That's what I have to do, it's what I'm trained to do. I really want to concentrate and get a good chance to do it properly.

"I really feel it's unfinished business for me in Formula One. I feel it's where I belong."

Super Aguri, who have not scored a point this year, announced earlier it was pulling out due to financial difficulties.

The decision left Davidson out in the cold, with 24 races to his credit but no points from any of them.

"You ride the ups and downs on this rollercoaster," the former Honda test driver said of his career. "If it's been a downward slope today, then I'm sure we'll bounce back."

(China Daily 05/08/2008 page22)