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I have some thoughts about the comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best players in the world in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of significant, unexpected improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American informed an interviewer in June of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {