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I have some opinions regarding that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and concussive strength on each front side and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

The American's performance in that very last eight match should have been enough of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend far too much effort to win it. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly compelling proof that the American is not good enough to beat any version of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {