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I possess some thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, me too. But really. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the top three competitors in the world in succession. He is well within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on each forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery floated 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, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed 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 objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {