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I possess some thoughts regarding the comments made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Even if the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). He said in press after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. At the beginning 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. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the final game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring 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, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped 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 unlikely for all other players. {