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I possess a few thoughts regarding that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in press after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The last several years has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of American men lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that indicated he could.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {