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I possess some thoughts regarding that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Instead, he invoked the continued absence of US male players at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on both front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork 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 drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a quite harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has made a several significant, unexpected improvements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against 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 the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of US male players winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to drop serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

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

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {