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I possess some thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into 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 only thing between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably 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 lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing slump of American men winning major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s performance in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to win it. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that Fritz is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that indicated he could.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {