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I possess a few opinions regarding that remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d 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 split the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the top three competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else sensibly had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been 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 lifting grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous chances to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to use far too much energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {