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I possess a few thoughts regarding that comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful strength on both forehand and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The last several years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players lifting major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only 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 beat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {