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I possess a few opinions about that comments made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, he invoked the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, he is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of American men lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend far too much energy to win it. Down set points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• 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 fail to do it,” the American informed an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly unlikely for everybody else. {