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I possess a few thoughts about the remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, 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 trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. He is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

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

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His elite delivery and concussive power on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, unexpected improvements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {