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I have a few opinions regarding the comments made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions on the brain?

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

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly improbable for all other players. {