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I possess a few thoughts about that remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a narrative, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful power on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a quite harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

The American's play in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of chances to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use excessive energy to win it. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

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

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {