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I have some thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued 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 final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

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

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships 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 is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on both forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several significant, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of frustration. When he finally did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a match, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unjust. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {