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I have a few thoughts regarding the comments made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the New York major last eight. Consider – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued 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 final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the world entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each front side and backhand are more than enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often helpless. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a several significant, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say how he feels 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 men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {