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I have a few thoughts about the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. A little bit of disappointment was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could 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 chasm of ranking points away. His elite delivery and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several years has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is stiff, 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 drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star made a personal best run to the All England Club last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use far too much effort 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 wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just express how he feels or the tactic he felt determined a match, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {