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I possess a few thoughts about that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought of US male players 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 tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful strength on both front side and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, however, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task too little.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the streak to the brink of frustration. When he finally did claim one of the opportunities 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 skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I fail to do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {