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I possess some opinions regarding the comments delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports often encourage nationalism. Some letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued drought of US male players at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Even if the American had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the world entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players winning grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the match twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

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

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {