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I have a few opinions regarding the remarks made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued absence 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 competition.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could 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 continuing drought of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When he finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not only say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {