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I possess a few thoughts regarding that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, 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 defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and grace 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 seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {