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I possess a few thoughts regarding the comments made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (plus the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful power on both front side and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, 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 appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players winning grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the point of frustration. When he finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and never particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {