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I possess some opinions regarding the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world entering the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on both front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, though, he is frequently overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

The American's performance in that very last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use excessive effort to win it. Facing set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {