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I possess some thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful strength on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often helpless. The last several years has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and grace of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had departed 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 achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive effort to prevail. Down set points in the last game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {