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I possess some thoughts regarding that remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

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

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed number four in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing drought of US male players lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive effort to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was quite compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {