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I have some thoughts regarding that remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion 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 the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on each front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler 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 slump of US male players lifting major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning numerous chances to break. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of winning a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {