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I have some opinions regarding the comments made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. His top-class serve and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

The American's play in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a terrible game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was quite compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just say how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {