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I have a few thoughts about the remarks made by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, who Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently 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 serve and powerful power on each front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is frequently overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around 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 position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

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

The American's play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When he finally did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, his first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a match, but clarify 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 unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {