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I have a few opinions about that comments delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. A little bit of letdown would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He said in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of performance metrics away. His elite serve and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much effort to win it. Facing match points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just express how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {