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I have some opinions regarding the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the global rankings 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 could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful power on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, unexpected improvements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's play in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous 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 pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the run to the point of frustration. When he eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – 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 expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

The American 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, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• 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 indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {