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I have some opinions about the remarks made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often encourage nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, me too. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in press after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the three best players in the world in succession. Fritz is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six encounters over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to No 4 – and held the position. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

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

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to break. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous service game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive effort to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {