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I possess some opinions about that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport in succession. Fritz is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and concussive strength on both forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down set points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America not produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually highly improbable for all other players. {