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I possess some thoughts about the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. He is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of American men winning major titles when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He extended the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {