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I have some opinions about the remarks made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, he brought up the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often helpless. The last several years has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has made a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures 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 commenting on the continuing slump of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is not good enough to beat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but clarify 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 seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {