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I possess a few opinions about that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of American men 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 tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often helpless. The last several years has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made 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 enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating numerous chances to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When he finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a terrible service game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match two times 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 match was fairly compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {