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I possess some thoughts regarding the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if the American defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). He said in press after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful strength on each front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing drought of American men winning grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star made a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When he finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to prevail. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He prolonged the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in the summer 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 the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {