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I possess some thoughts regarding that remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the continued absence of US male players 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.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently overmatched. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player 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 made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When he eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly seem like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz told a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {