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I possess some opinions about that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if the American defeated the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else sensibly had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often helpless. The last several years has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of American men winning major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the streak to the brink of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” the American told a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {