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I possess some opinions about that remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued absence of US male players at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a aging 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 Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the point of agony. When he finally did convert 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 lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat 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 – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely improbable for everybody else. {