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I have a few thoughts regarding that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued absence of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, me too. But really. Even if the American had beaten the legend 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 had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he actually liked his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive strength on each front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

The American star made a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning numerous chances to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much effort to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest 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 especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not only say his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but clarify 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. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {