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I possess a few thoughts about that remarks made by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite serve and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than enough to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has seen the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing slump of American men winning major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

The American's play in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {