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I possess a few thoughts about the comments delivered by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often encourage nationalism. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, 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 up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging 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 appropriate commenting on the continuing slump of American men winning major titles when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive energy to win it. Down set points in the last game, his first serve floated to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was quite compelling proof that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not only express his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {