Roger Federer content with view from the top

Roger Federer slipped back into Melbourne Park, once more round the block for the four-time champion of the Australian Open before settling back into a lounge chair. His jeans bore a trace of a hole in the right leg - so he is not perfect - his RF cap was placed at a jaunty angle on his knee and he could have just stepped off a yacht at the Mornington marina. Has there ever been a more contented champion?

He talked animatedly of re-invention, of finding his game again after 2008, a year that did not sit well with him at all. The 28-year-old won just a single grand slam, lost in two finals and was a semi finalist in the third, glorious to most, semi-par for such as he. In the face of demands that he mend his ways with a 'named' coach, he burrowed away diligently with a man few people could name (Severin Luthi, Switzerland's Davis Cup captain) or place. It has fallen back into place. The woes he had a year ago seemed as far away as Switzerland on a gloriously sun-kissed afternoon.

Remarkably, only a year ago Federer fostered doubts about whether he could regain his ascendant levels. Three grand slam championships out of the next five events - he lost in five set finals in the other two - would suggest he is back, better than ever. A couple of wobbles aside, he breezed the Australian Open. But his thoughts drifted back a couple of years. "Maybe I started to doubt my body, I started to doubt the situation," he said.

"I felt that eventually I wouldn’t be as successful as I had been. which was strange because at the end of 2007 I was practising that I was playing my best tennis of my life. Then I got sick and I got here to Melbourne, I couldn’t practise, but I still thought I managed to play a great tournament to make it to the semis"But after that I had to catch up with so much, the other guys were playing tough and the margins are small at the top of the game. It was definitely interesting to go through it, because a career is not meant to be easy. You always have to go through ups and downs. And I think I was well prepared for it. That’s why even when it was tough I was still able to enjoy it and stay calm, because I always question myself, even in the best of times.

"I have had to work really hard. Now, my backhand is where I want it to be, my forehand is back because I think that also left me a little bit when my footwork wasn’t at my best because I knew I didn’t want to play defence and pressed too much with my forehand. I don’t do that too much any more and my confidence is back, so it’s a lot easier to play again now.”

It is a worrysome thought for Federer's fellow professionals - a prospect to savour for the rest of us.

Source:The times

King set to gauge strength of Cheltenham hand

Trainer will unleash some of his leading Festival fancies in the coming days with Mille Chief first to come under the spotlight at Huntingdon

Paul Nicholls again holds centre stage on Saturday when past winners of the Gold Cup and Champion Chase represent him at Newbury. In his shadow, however, Alan King will be hoping for further evidence that his string is firmly back on track.

Four days of unrelenting action, starting tomorrow with Mille Chief at Huntingdon, will go a long way to defining King's expectations for next month's Cheltenham Festival. The Betchworth Kid is then loosed on Friday, followed by Manyriverstocross, Voy Por Ustedes and possibly Bensalem on the day that Denman and Master Minded star at Newbury.

“We're running a lot of big horses and the pulse rises accordingly,” the trainer said. “The one thing we really don't want is any interference from the weather. I like to have a clear month to fine-tune my Cheltenham horses at home. All being well, we will be bang on course after the weekend.”

That, in itself, is a big step forward from a desolate December when the trainer's string remained under a health cloud. “I am much happier with the horses,” he said, “although as usual, one or two are not quite right.“There's no way we can catch up on what we missed before Christmas,” he continued, “but I'm comfortable with where we are now.” Indeed, Over Sixty's triumph at Market Rasen yesterday was a seventh winner in the past two weeks for the Barbury Castle stable.

Mille Chief is King's only Cheltenham favourite, so expectations are high that the French import will tomorrow enhance his claims for the JCB Triumph Hurdle. “All he needs is some match practice,” the trainer said. “I've not done much with him since he last ran and Choc [Robert Thornton] should be back to ride him. Choc has been down to school twice and is itching to return.”

Thornton, who has been out of action since suffering severe bruising to his back in a heavy fall from Cracboumwiz at Leicester last month, returns today with three rides - subject to Ludlow passing a morning inspection.

“I have entered Bensalem everywhere,” King said. “He could go to Newbury but I'm half-tempted to run him in a graduation chase at Exeter on Sunday.”

Bensalem looked held by Diamond Harry when he fell heavily at the third-last fence, yet his stamina for the RSA Chase seems more assured than that rival. The seven-year-old certainly features on a Cheltenham shortlist that holds intriguing possibilities, among them Medermit (Smurfit Kappa Champion Hurdle) and Karabak (Ladbrokes World Hurdle).

“Medermit goes straight to Cheltenham and is in wonderful form physically,” King said. “At the time no one realised the strength of last season's Supreme Novices' Hurdle. Go Native [a narrow winner from Medermit] has certainly gone on and so has Somersby - and I don't think we have seen the best of Medermit yet. He has surprised me but I think he is still improving.”

Karabak, too, makes straight for Prestbury Park. “He wasn't quite right for the Cleeve Hurdle but he's best when fresh anyway,” King said. “And you'd have to throw Katchit into the [World Hurdle] mix.”

Voy Por Ustedes, himself a former winner of the Champion Chase, takes on Master Minded in a race that marks the return from injury of the top-rated two-mile chaser in training. Nicholls reports that Master Minded will improve for his first run for three months.

However, most eyes at Newbury will focus on Denman's first outing in the hands of Tony McCoy. The 2008 Gold Cup winner - and runner-up last year - faces a maximum of eight opponents in the Aon Chase.

Source:The times

Third time lucky for Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Miguel Ángel Jiménez struck a blow for the old guard when he beat Lee Westwood at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic yesterday.

The Spaniard, a Ryder Cup team-mate of Westwood, rode his luck over the first two extra holes at the Emirates Golf Club before wrapping up his sixteenth win on the PGA European Tour and his ninth since turning 40 six years ago.

Europe’s No 1, meanwhile, was left to rue the one that got away. Twice Westwood putted for victory and twice he came up short.

The day began with a four-way tie for the lead and at various points three of the players — Westwood, Jiménez and the big-hitting Álvaro Quirós — claimed its sole possession in difficult, windy conditions. That none of them finished below par shows how tricky things became. If Thongchai Jaidee had not missed a five-foot putt for a birdie at the last, the Thai would also have made the play-offAs it was, by the time Westwood was weighing up his approach shot to the 18th green in regulation play, he was the only player who could catch Jiménez, the clubhouse leader, on 11 under par.

One of the few players to go for the green in two shots at the par-five 18th, a hole that requires a long carry over water, Westwood almost won with a spectacular putt of 94 feet for an eagle that finished only six inches past the hole. He did not know whether to laugh or to cry. But when he came out of the scorer’s hut, he found Jiménez waiting for him, smoking a cigar and ready to do battle. “Come on Lee,” he said. “Let’s go and do it.”

Twice they played the 18th before moving on to the 9th hole. At the first play-off hole, Jiménez almost found water with his third shot, but he got lucky when the ball plugged in a grass bank instead of rolling backwards. It allowed him to chip close to save par, although Westwood had a six-foot putt for victory that hovered on the edge of the hole.

The second time around, Westwood once more had a putt to win, but left it about three inches short. Jiménez had found the bunker at the back of the green with his third shot, ran his fourth about 18 feet past the hole and then, cool as you like, rolled in the putt that kept his hopes alive.

At the third extra hole, both had putts of about five feet for par. But when Westwood missed his, Jiménez did not need a second chance, rolling the ball into the middle of the cup for his first win in two years and prize money of about £259,000.

The victory should move him inside the top 40 when the world rankings are released today.

This was Westwood’s fourth defeat in six play-offs and his fourth in succession. He had not dominated the day but he kept himself in contention. In the play-off, however, he started to think it was not to be his day.

“When somebody plugs it on the front trap their first time in — and 99 times out of a 100 that ball goes back into the water — and then holes an 18-footer the second time round, the writing is on the wall,” he said. “It’s just one of those things. Play-offs can be like that.”

With the meaty part of the season about to get under way, Westwood, the world No 4, is relatively pleased with his progress since returning to the game in Abu Dhabi three weeks ago after a six-week break. “The game feels a little bit rusty and mentally, I’m not quite sharp enough,” he said. “But I’m hitting a lot of good shots.”

Jiménez, meanwhile, was looking forward to a good rioja and his customary cigar. He truly loves what he does and enjoys every moment, win or lose. “Like good wines, with age the wins get better and better,” he said.

Rory McIlroy finished joint sixth, three shots behind and is to have a scan on his back in Belfast today.

Harrington cut adrift

• Padraig Harrington’s missed cut in the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust Open — his first event of the year — has led to him dropping out of an automatic spot in Europe’s Ryder Cup positions.

Latest leading positions in the European Ryder Cup table after the Omega Dubai Desert Classic (top four on world list qualify, then next five on European points list. Captain Colin Montgomerie adds three wild cards).

World points: 1, Lee Westwood 196.9pts; 2, Rory McIlroy142.7; 3, Ian Poulter 111.5; 4, Martin Kaymer 104.9; 5, Padraig Harrington 102.7; 6, Edoardo Molinari 95.7; 7, Ross McGowan 86.3; 8, Simon Dyson 82.5; 9, Robert Karlsson 76.7; 10, Miguel Ángel Jiménez 76.5.

European points: 1, Westwood 1,920,576; 2, McIlroy 1,335,904; 3, McGowan 1,104,767; 4, Poulter 927,415; 5, Dyson 893,738; 6,Alexander Noren 771,353; 7, Kaymer 728,852; 8, Ross Fisher672,419; 9, Francesco Molinari 658,554; 10, Oliver Wilson 625,400. (Players in bold are those in qualifying positions).

Source:The times

Jean Todt: Formula One's new entrants can miss opening races

Formula One’s new entrants will be allowed to miss the first three races of the season without punishment, according to Jean Todt, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president.

Bernie Ecclestone, F1's supremo, does not expect U.S. F1 and Campos, two of four completely new teams this season, to be ready for the opening race in Bahrain on March 14.

“In the last draft of the Concorde agreement it’s written that a team can skip three races,” Todt said.

U.S. F1 and Campos have so far named only one of their two drivers and neither have launched their cars for the new seasonAdrian Campos has said he hopes to settle the future of his team this week, having already signed Bruno Senna, nephew of the late Ayrton Senna, while Tony Teixeira, the A1 GP series CEO, said last month he was in talks to buy into Campos.

Serbia’s Stefan GP say they are all but ready to step in should a new team fail to make the grid and claim to have Ecclestone as a backer.

“If one of them doesn’t make it, it doesn’t mean another team comes in. It’s up to the FIA to decide if they have the credentials,” Todt, the former Ferrari chief, added.

Virgin have already launched their car while Lotus are set to unveil theirs on Friday, after Red Bull’s presentation at the Jerez test on Wednesday.

Source:The times

Afghanistan continue rise with defeat of Irish

Afghanistan continued their remarkable rise in world cricket today with a thrilling 13-run victory over Ireland in their opening Twenty20 World Cup qualifier in Dubai.

The war-torn nation took three wickets from the final three deliveries of the match to dismiss Ireland for 126 and go top of Group A ahead of their match against Scotland tomorrow.

Scotland suffered a six-wicket defeat by USA, Afghanistan's opponents in an intriguing fixture on Thursday.

Afghanistan, who were playing in the Division 5 of the World Cricket League two years ago, have since climbed to the top flight and came within one win of qualifying for the 2011 World Cup last AprilToday's win boosts their chances of playing the sport's biggest nations at Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean next month.

William Porterfield, the Ireland captain, won the toss and enjoyed an excellent start when Trent Johnston claimed the wickets of Karim Sadiq and Shafiquallah to reduce Afghanistan for 14-2.

However, Mohammed Nabi and Noor Ali, the opening batsman, eventually steadied the innings with scores of 43 and 42 respectively as their side reached 139-8 from their 20 overs.

After losing opening batsman Niall O'Brien cheaply, Ireland made decent progress at the start of their innings thanks to Paul Stirling and Porterfield, the captain scoring 35 from 28 deliveries.

The momentum turned when Karim Sadiq struck twice in the seventh over, removing Porterfied and Andrew Botha to leave Ireland on 52-3, and swung further towards Afghanistan when Stirling was dismissed two overs later.

Anchoring the tail by scoring 21 from 18 deliveries, Johnston wrested back the initiative to the Ireland, leaving them needing 14 runs to win when he was caught out from the final ball of the penultimate over.

However, his team-mates failed to capitalise, with Peter Connell run out from the first ball of the final over and John Mooney bowled from the next to give Afghanistan a memorable win.

Source:The Times

Rio Ferdinand backs down in suspension row

Manchester United have backed down in their clash with the Football Association over Rio Ferdinand after it emerged the new England captain has withdrawn his appeal against his four-match suspension.

Ferdinand had decided to challenge the ban after FA bosses added an extra game to his original punishment for being found guilty of violent conduct against Hull City's Craig Fagan.

His subsequent appeal put him at risk of seeing the suspension increased to five games, which would have seen the defender miss the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa at the end of this month, meaning his first game back in competitive action would have been England's international friendly with Egypt at Wembley on March 3.

Ferdinand, however, did not want to jeopardise being out for so long before making his first game as the new England captain and has changed his mind as a gesture of goodwill to spare further embarrassment over the issueHis hearing was due to take place in London on Friday but has been cancelled after Ferdinand told Manchester United officials to withdraw his appeal.

Ferdinand pleaded not guilty to the original charge despite video evidence showing him clearly striking Fagan across the face.

FA officials decided his plea was "frivolous" and angered both the player and Sir Alex Ferguson by adding an extra game to the standard three-match ban.

Ferdinand, who succeeded John Terry as Fabio Capello's new captain of the national side last week after the disgraced Chelsea defender was stripped of the armband, is desperate to avoid any clashes with his Wembley employers as he settles into his new role.

Source:The times

Portsmouth deny impending administration after talks with Revenue

Portsmouth have denied that they are staring into the abyss of administration after it was reported that confidential talks with HM Revenue & Customs had stalled this afternoon.

The club still hope to delay the hearing of the Revenue’s winding-up petition, which is due to be heard in the Companies Court on Wednesday, by offering £1.8 million on their outstanding tax bill of £7.5 million.

However, if they are unsuccessful, they face becoming the first team since the formation of the Premier League in 1992 to fall into administration. The result will be a nine-point penalty, which will almost certainly confirm their relegation.

Peter Storrie, the chief executive, has argued for more time, saying that he is on the point of bringing in new owners, but the Revenue – like the club’s long-suffering supporters – will feel that they have heard it all beforeThe winding-up petition is listed to be heard at 11.30am on Wednesday, along with one against Cardiff City, who owe the Revenue £2.7 million. Not many people at Wembley on the sunny day in 2008 when the two clubs contested the FA Cup Final would have foreseen this outcome.

But it was the overspending on transfer fees and wages that built the winning Portsmouth team that has led the club here, and it should act as a warning, as should the petitions also due to be heard the same day against Southend United of Coca-Cola League One and Hinckley United of the non-League.

Southend paid a bill of £2.1million in November after taking out a loan, but were handed another bill of £205,000 on Christmas Eve. However, the club disputes the amount and claims it overpaid the original bill.

Hinckley’s name remains on the Companies Court Winding Up List despite the fact that the club claims to have paid a bill of £191,000.

Source:The times

Gianfranco Zola hits out at new West Ham owners

Gianfranco Zola has been angered by David Sullivan's announcement in the national press that the entire West Ham staff would have to take a pay cut in the summer.

It is thought the manager and players, along with other club staff, will be asked by co-owners Sullivan and David Gold to take a 25 per cent cut to slash the club's £60-million wage bill.

Zola, the West Ham manager, criticised the timing of the revelation 24 hours before West Ham take on Birmingham City in the Premier League at St Andrew's tomorrow.

"The article should have been done at another time, not just before a match like tomorrow," Zola said. "It would have been better to say that at another time and maybe talk to us before talking to a newspaper. That is my feeling.Zola, who earns £1.9 million a year, revealed he had not spoken to the owners, nor had he been consulted about the issue.

"I am not here for the money," he said. "Last year when I signed a contract I didn't even know how much I was going to earn.

"I had a plan and a project and I liked what I was going to do. I didn't know what I was going to earn and then after a while the club called me in about a new contract.

"It's not about money. It is about working for something positive. I aways enjoy working for this club. The money was something that came after."

Zola wants to concentrate on getting West Ham out of relegation trouble, but asked if the owners speak to the press too much, he said: "The match is all that matters to me and the players."

Sullivan, who saw the Hammers lose 2-1 against Burnley on Saturday, said it would be "Armageddon" if West Ham were relegated, but Zola is remaining positive. "Since I have been here it has been a repetition of speculation and problems," he said. "To be honest I'm fed up with that. I just want to carry on with football.

"The players are committed to what we are doing. They believe in it and are determined. The defeat against Burnley was unexpected and a big blow. But the fighting spirit is there and we will never give up."

Source:The Times