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I possess some thoughts about that comments made by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. He is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating numerous opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive effort to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a match, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {