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I possess a few opinions regarding that remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic'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 patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Instead, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it presented the chance to beat the top three players in the sport in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into 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 only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and held the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible game to drop serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {