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I possess a few thoughts regarding that remarks delivered by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown would have been understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven grand slams (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the top three competitors in the world in succession. He is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions 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 world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches 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 right now, that is as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive strength on each front side and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players winning major titles when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

The American's play in that exact last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive effort to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than almost anyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• 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,” the American told an interviewer 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 reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {