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I possess some thoughts about that comments delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of letdown was understandable. Rather, Fowler 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 he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (plus the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the world in succession. He is well justified to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players winning major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact last eight match ought to have been enough of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the streak to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just say his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {