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I possess some opinions about the comments made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting 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, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the achievement; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked the German 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: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and concussive strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of significant, unexpected improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star made a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {