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I have a few thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Rather, he brought up the ongoing drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the interesting rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a horrendous service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive effort to prevail. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not just say how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of winning a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {