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I possess some thoughts about the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of US male players at the majors: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the three best players in the world back-to-back. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing drought of American men lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When he finally did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous service game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the main contest and forced him to expend far too much effort to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express how he feels or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {