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I have a few opinions about the comments made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none 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 enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of US male players lifting major titles when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg 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 accomplish it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {