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I have some opinions regarding the remarks made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who he has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on both 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, though, he is frequently overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, unexpected advancements 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 approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly compelling proof that the American is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not only express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {