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I possess some opinions about the comments made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world in succession. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

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

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear 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 strength on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting major titles when he 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 achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not only say how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {