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I possess a few thoughts about that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

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

The American's performance in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, his first serve floated to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not only say how he feels or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {