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I have some opinions regarding that comments made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports often encourage nationalism. Some letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful power on both forehand and backhand are more than enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has seen the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless move around with the alarming quickness and grace of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to break. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {