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I have a few opinions regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in press following his defeat that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Facing set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {