Aff ul looks like old self in return
Harrison Afful darted up and down the right sideline in the first half of Crew SC’s win Saturday over Chicago, accelerating the attack, providing crosses and making things uncomfortable for the Fire’s back line.
In many ways, he looked like the player coach Gregg Berhalter has dubbed “the best right back in the league” on numerous occasions the past two seasons.
“Harry was locked in from the warm-up, you could see it,” Berhalter said. “He was focused and I think he played a good game.”
Afful was done after 45 minutes, when Hector Jimenez subbed on in what Berhalter said was a predetermined substitution. The Crew wanted to give Afful, who had missed the three previous games with a hamstring injury, a limited workload so as not to risk anything for the final stretch of the regular season.
For once in a trying 2017 for Afful, something went according to plan.
Afful has appeared
MASON, Ohio — Wimbledon champion Roger Federer withdrew Monday from the Western & Southern Open because of a back injury. He has won the Masters series tournament seven times.
The move was announced on the first full day of matches. This U.S. Open warmup has now lost five of the top six players in the men’s rankings.
Federer, a 19-time major champion, said in a statement he “tweaked” his back last week at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, where he lost Sunday’s final to Alexander Zverev.
The Swiss star, ranked No. 3, is sidelined along with No. 1 Andy Murray, in 16 of the Crew’s 25 games in a start-again, stop-again season. He missed a game in April after slicing a nerve in his hand while preparing chicken. He spent a few games away from the club in May to be with his family after the birth of his son, Kendrick.
Afful then injured his hamstring in a July 16 training session while sprinting for a ball near the corner. He reinjured it in the first half of a game against Philadelphia six days later, sidelining the 31-yearold Ghanaian defender No. 4 Stan Wawrinka, No. 5 Novak Djokovic and No. 6 Marin Cilic, the defending champion. Only No. 2 Rafael Nadal, the top-seeded player, remains in the draw.
Tournament officials tweeted that 21st-ranked Gael Monfils also is out because of an undisclosed illness. All the missing players except Cilic are 30 or older.
“It’s just coincidence,” said Nadal, 31. “We’re not 20 years old anymore. We’re not playing all the weeks. It’s part of our sport. I’ve been in their position lots of times. I’ve missed more events than the other players. It’s part of the game. I wish them all a speedy recovery. We need them in the game. I hope they get back soon.” for three additional games.
“I would say this has been tough for me. Injuries here and there, that is not me,” Afful said. “I’m 31 now and I need to do the right things and sleep well and do my strength (work) to keep fit every time. That is what I’m focusing on.”
On and off the field, Afful exudes optimism, but he admitted to managing frustration with a challenging season.
“It’s part of life, but you don’t have to let it keep eating at you,” Afful said. “When
Federer’s withdrawal means Nadal, who lost in the third round at Montreal, will return to No. 1 when new ATP rankings are released Aug. 21. The Spaniard will be No. 1 for the first time since July 6, 2014.
Nadal has spent 141 weeks at No. 1 since first ascending there after reaching the Western & Southern semifinals in 2008.
“It’s been tough to get back to No. 1,” he said. “I’m happy to have the chance to be in that position.”
American Sam Querry became the first seeded player to advance. The 15th seed cruised into the second round with a 6-3, 6-0 victory over wild card Stefan Kozlov.
Mischa Zverev also advanced with a (frustration) happens, in that moment you let it go because when you keep it in you it’s going to haunt you and maybe your training will be down.”
An injury-free half is a step on the path to Afful regaining his form of seasons past. But he and Berhalter both recognize the importance of the Crew’s final nine games, as well as the importance of his contributions during that span.
“It’s a long season. Even though it’s almost done, I believe I have a lot more,” Afful said. “I think I have more to give.”
Crew cuts
Midfielder Kekuta Manneh wore a boot on his left foot in an appearance at Crew SC Fest on Sunday. Manneh appeared to jog gingerly as he exited for Cristian Martinez in the 65th minute against Chicago. … Former Crew midfielder Ethan Finlay trained with Minnesota United on Monday for the first time since being traded last week. straight-set win, 6-4, 6-4 over Fernando Verdasco. Zverev lost just nine points on serve.
In women’s first-round action, 15th-seeded Madison Keys held off unseeded CoCo Vandeweghe for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win. Vandeweghe fought off three match points in the final game before hitting a forehand into the net for an unforced error on Keys’ fourth match point.
Earlier, 2016 Olympic singles gold medalist Monica Puig lost to fellow qualifier Taylor Townsend, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2.
Other’s men’s matches saw wild card Frances Tiafoe beat qualifier Maximilian Marterer 6-3, 7-6 (2), and qualifier Joao Sousa defeat Kyle Edmund 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.