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I have some thoughts regarding the comments made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). Fritz said in press after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. 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 concussive power on each front side and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless move around with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a couple match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, extending the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never 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 developed enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {