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I possess some thoughts regarding that comments made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if the American had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the top three players in the world in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of significant, unexpected improvements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

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

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive energy to prevail. Down match points in the last game, his first serve floated to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, who lost to the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {