Quick Hitters
Happy families: Osaka, Williams win openers in Australia
MELBOURNE, Australia — Naomi Osaka won the tournament opening match for her dad at the Australian Open. Serena Williams won hers for her daughter.
The first two matches on center court at the Australian Open were all about families for two champions.
For something new, Osaka’s father, Leonard Francois, was in the crowd watching as the defending champion reeled off the last four games after dropping serve for the only time to beat Marie Bouzkova 6-2, 6-4.
Next up, Williams started her bid for a first major title as a mom when she beat 18-year-old Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-3. Williams has won the title seven times in Australia, and is aiming for an alltime record-equaling 24th Grand Slam singles title. She hasn’t added to her career tally with victory at the 2017 Australian Open, and then becoming Olympia’s mom. She managed to end one drought last week when she won the title in Auckland, New Zealand — her first since the Australian title three years ago.
“I hadn’t been able to win as a mom, so it was nice to finally be able to win a tournament with a 2-year-old now,” Williams said of her Auckland win. “I’ve been pretty close, but it was special for me and for her. I hope for her.”
Williams has lost four Grand Slam finals since her last title, and is determined to end that streak.
She won seven straight games until Potapova held serve and changed the momentum — for a little while at least. The Russian got a service break, but broke Williams rallied quickly to get back on track.
Westwood wins in Abu Dhabi for his 25th Euro tour victory
ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates — Lee Westwood secured his 25th European Tour win with victory at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship on Sunday.
Westwood, who had a one-shot overnight lead, has now won in four different decades starting in the 1990s. The Englishman’s 5-under par final-round 67 gave him a two-shot margin over a chasing pack of France’s Victor Perez (63) and England’s Tommy Fleetwood (63) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (67) who all finished on 271.
Bernd Wiesberger and secondround leader Francesco Laporta, who both started the final round one back of Westwood, had their challenge fall away after rounds of 72 and 74.
Top-ranked Brooks Koepka finished joint 34th with an 8-under 280 after a 69 in the final round, 11 back of Westwood.
Super Bowl a tossup at legal sports books
LAS VEGAS — Even the bookies are having a problem figuring out a favorite in the Super Bowl.
Odds opened at pick ‘em Sunday at many Las Vegas sports books, though the Kansas City Chiefs quickly moved to 1-point favorites over the San Francisco 49ers. Early bettors favored the Chiefs in a game that will almost surely set new legal betting records.
The combination of an attractive matchup, close odds and the spread of legalized sports betting means hundreds of millions of dollars will exchange hands over the next two weeks.
Bettors at the Westgate Las Vegas Superbook got an early start after they were offered the pick ‘em odds at halftime of the NFC championship game. Oddsmaker Jay Kornegay said about 80 percent of the early money was on the Chiefs and the line moved to Chiefs minus-1.