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I possess a few opinions about that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. His elite serve and powerful strength on both front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of significant, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing slump of American men winning major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

The American's performance in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion rescued break point after break point, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled 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, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely improbable for everybody else. {