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I have a few opinions about the comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. 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. Rather, he brought up the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When he finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• 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,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly unlikely for everybody else. {