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I have a few thoughts regarding the remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow 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 last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world in succession. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each front side and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. 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 reliable tactic. That acts as a quite harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several dramatic, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

The American's play in that very last eight match should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a match, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States not spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {