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I possess some thoughts about that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, 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 drought of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

The American star made a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

The American's performance in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive energy to win it. Down match points in the final game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {