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I have a few opinions about that remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and powerful power on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star made a career-best run to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's play in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much effort to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might 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 drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {