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I have a few opinions regarding the comments made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a narrative, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive power on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

The American star achieved a personal best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, 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 promptly played a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {