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I have a few thoughts regarding the comments delivered by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a narrative, me too. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in press after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, just a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {