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I possess some opinions regarding that comments delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if the American had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and powerful power on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use excessive energy to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. 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 enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

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

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {