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I have some thoughts about that remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the chance to beat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The past few years has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

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

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: 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)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {