Sports Shorts

Greek soccer club Olympiacos is pursuing Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, according to reports in the Greek sports media. The Greek club, which advanced to the Champions League round of 16, offered the English club six million euros and would pay Benayoun 2.2 million euros per season, less than what he is currently earning. Olympiacos is looking for an offensive midfielder after being refused by Marseille winger Hatem Ben Arfa. (Uzi Dann)

Yesterday was an upbeat one for Israel's leading tennis players. It started with Dudi Sela beating Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan 6-1, 6-2 at the Chennai Open in India and Shahar Peer downing Slovenia's Polona Hercog of Slovenia at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand. Adding to the delight was a report in British newspaper The Telegraph that the United Arab Emirates gave written assurances to the women's tennis tour that Peer would be granted a visa to play in next month's tournament in Dubai. On the downside, Peer and her Austrian partner Edina Gallovits fell in three sets to the Italian pair of Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 2-6, 10-3. (Steve Klein)

The New Orleans Saints will head into the playoffs without starting defensive end Charles Grant who has been sidelined for the season with a triceps injury, the team announced on its Web site yesterday. Grant, 31, was placed on injured reserve because of an injury similar to the one that ended his season in 2008 after eight games. Grant, a first-round pick of the Saints in 2002, anchored the left side of the line and started in all 16 regular-season games as the team won the NFC South with a 13-3 record. He had 53 tackles and 5-1/2 sacks. (Reuters)

Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure beat Chelsea's Didier Drogba to be named Ivory Coast's Player of the Year yesterday, the European champions said on their Web site. The 26-year-old, who is on international duty preparing for this month's African Nations Cup, helped Barcelona win six titles in 2009. (Reuters)