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I possess some thoughts regarding the comments made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He stated in press after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on both front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is often overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

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

The American's performance in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve floated to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Swedish icon Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {