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I possess a few thoughts about that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, he brought up the ongoing absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and powerful power on both front side and reverse side are more than adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his potential.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing slump of American men winning major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star made a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

The American's play in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, extending the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just express his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of winning a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually highly improbable for all other players. {