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I have a few opinions regarding that comments made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (plus the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot 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 sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a terrible service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {