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I possess some opinions about that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is well justified to aim for the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite serve and concussive strength on each front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and grace of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, 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 grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the All England Club last four in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a terrible game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Down match points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just express how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not produce 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: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American informed an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {