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I have some opinions about the comments made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's victory over the American player in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: 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 narrative, me too. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably 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: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and concussive power on each forehand and reverse side are more than enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently overmatched. The last several years has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the alarming quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of significant, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of American men 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 insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in July.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat 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 – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just express his emotions or the strategy he believed determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {