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I possess some opinions regarding that comments delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none 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 enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if the American defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on both forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, though, he is frequently overmatched. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. 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 soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and forced him to use excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do 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 doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {