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I possess some opinions about the comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued absence of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the world in succession. He is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a several significant, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the continuing slump of US male players winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

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

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity 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 second set, he promptly played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {