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I have some opinions regarding the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage nationalism. A little bit of letdown would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful strength on each front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest 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 worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's play in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never especially appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {