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I have some thoughts regarding the comments made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler 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. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz 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 chance to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. His elite serve and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several seasons has seen the curious emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {