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I possess some thoughts about the comments made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Rather, he invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the following match, who Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

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

Fritz, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the world entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked the German 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 high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive power on each forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several years has seen the interesting emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter men. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, 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 expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the tactic he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {