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I possess some opinions about the remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the sport in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

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

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising 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 controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Down match points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {