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I possess a few opinions regarding the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Instead, he invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if the American had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked 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: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and concussive power on each front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest 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 worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not just say his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {