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I have some opinions about that comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Rather, he invoked the continued drought of US male players at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the world in succession. He is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. His top-class delivery and powerful power on each front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and grace of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

The American star made a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When he eventually 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 once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend excessive energy to win it. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {