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I have a few opinions about that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a storyline, me too. But really. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz 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 lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in press after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and powerful power on both forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

The American has made a several dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the run to the point of agony. When he finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use excessive energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {