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I have a few opinions about that comments made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often encourage nationalism. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued 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.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the sport in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful strength on both forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's play in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually highly unlikely for everybody else. {