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I possess some opinions about the comments made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the world in succession. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might 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 elite delivery and concussive strength on each front side and reverse side are more than enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming quickness and grace of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of significant, 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 elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of American men winning grand slams when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

The American star made a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of Djokovic, who lost to 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 may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz told a journalist in the summer of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {