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I possess a few opinions about that remarks delivered by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, Fowler is American – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that’s as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing slump of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to win it. Down set points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to spawn 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 divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for all other players. {