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I have a few thoughts about the remarks made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Rather, he brought up the continued absence of American men at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler 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 lifting major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's performance in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a win that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to break. But the champion rescued break point after break point, extending the streak to the point of agony. When he finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any version of Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• 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 claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {