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I possess a few opinions regarding the remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought 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 love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and concussive power on each front side and reverse side are more than enough to dispose of most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

The American star made a career-best run to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion rescued break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit 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 could.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just express his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {