🔗 Share this article

I have some thoughts about that comments made by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in press after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. His top-class delivery and concussive power on each front side and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of generational talents, however, he is frequently overmatched. The last several years has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

The American has made a several significant, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of US male players lifting major titles when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of winning a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely improbable for everybody else. {