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I possess a few thoughts about the comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was understandable. Instead, he brought up the continued absence of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive power on both front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

The American has made a several significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he suddenly exploded up to No 4 – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

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

The American's play in that exact last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting the American to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {