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I have some thoughts about that comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it presented the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and powerful strength on each front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat most opponents on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing slump of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

The American star made a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very last eight match should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use excessive effort to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

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