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I have a few thoughts about that remarks made by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment would have been understandable. Rather, he 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 last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz 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 title holder the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful strength on each front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, 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 up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that very quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {