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I have a few thoughts about the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Rather, he brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who he has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. He is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his last six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently overmatched. The last several seasons has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a several significant, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

The American's play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {