A Sports Filled Weekend It Was

It was an older crowd at the Australian Open – on the court.

Roger Federer, 35 and nearly five years removed from his last Grand Slam win, knocked off his longtime nemesis Rafael Nadal in five sets on Sunday to win the men’s championship. Federer now has won 18 career Grand Slam events, four more than Nadal and Pete Sampras.

The grand old man and father of four followed nicely in the footsteps of Serena Williams, also 35. She won the women’s singles on Saturday, defeating her sister Venus, 36, in straight sets. This was the much-awaited 23rd Grand Slam triumph for Serena and her seventh Australian Open championship.

Horse Racing: The inaugural $12 million Pegasus Classic matched Arrogate and California Chrome and Chrome got more than a little tarnished. Arrogate won the 1 1/8-mile race at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida, while a beaten Chrome finished ninth and headed off into retirement. California Chrome won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 2014, was Horse of the Year in 2014 and 2016 and earned more than any other Thoroughbred but his last race was the worst of his notable career. Arrogate also beat California Chrome last fall in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Almost-Football: The South edged the North 16-15 on Saturday in the Senior Bowl, an exhibition for NFL-draft eligible players. Cal’s Davis Webb was the MVP with 165 yards passing. He completed 11 of 16 throws, one for a touchdown…In another almost-football game, the AFC defeated the NFC 20-13 in the Pro Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The AFC wore red uniforms while the NFC wore blue. The game looked more like a Power Rangers video than football and fashionistas were appalled…The San Francisco 49ers named John Lynch, a retired player with no front-office experience, as their general manager. He received a six-year contract. The 49ers are expected to fill their coaching vacancy after the Super Bowl with Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who has no experience as a head coach…The Indianapolis Colts named Chris Ballard as their GM, replacing the fired Ryan Grigson.

Golf: Jon Rahm, a 22-year-old Spaniard, posted eagles on two of the final six holes and earned his first PGA Tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Rahm, who turned pro last summer, came in at 13-under, three strokes ahead of Charles Howell III and C.T. Pan.

Elsewhere: Like free basketball? The Atlanta Hawks and New York Knicks went four overtimes on Sunday before the Hawks prevailed 142-139. Paul Millsap scored 37 points and had 19 rebounds for the winners…The Cleveland Cavaliers stopped bickering long enough to beat the Oklahoma City Thunder 107-91, despite Russell Westbrook’s 24th triple-double of the season…The U.S. men’s soccer team played a scoreless draw with Serbia in an exhibition Sunday in San Diego. It was their first match under new coach Bruce Arena.
 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman