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I possess a few thoughts about the comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, he brought up the ongoing drought of American men 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 competition.

We all love a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

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

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six encounters over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive power on each front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

The American has made a several significant, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use excessive effort to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite ironclad evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {