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I have a few thoughts about the remarks delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz defeated the legend for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Djokovic in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and powerful strength on both front side and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

The American's performance in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had survived a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, 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 compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {