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I possess some opinions regarding that comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That the American, 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 Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

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

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When he eventually did convert 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; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish 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 objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {