🔗 Share this article

I possess a few opinions about that remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and sports often encourage nationalism. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Rather, he invoked the ongoing drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, who he has yet to beat in an official match. 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. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in press after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is well justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on both front side and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few years has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his upside.

The American has made a number of dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, 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 winning grand slams when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star made a personal best run to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive effort to prevail. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not especially appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just express how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American informed a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {