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I have some opinions regarding that comments delivered by ESPN commentator 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 athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a narrative, me too. But really. Even if the American had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on both front side and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several seasons has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement 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 soft shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

Fritz has made a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

The American star made a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Facing match points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only express his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, maybe they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {