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I have some opinions regarding the remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the ongoing absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: 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 tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could 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 vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on each front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged up to No 4 – and held the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited 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 made a career-best run to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When he finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not just express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {