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I possess a few thoughts regarding the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the top three competitors in the world in succession. He is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class serve and concussive strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The last several years has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a quite harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

The American's performance in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion rescued break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When he finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Down match points in the last game, his first serve floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {