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I have a few opinions about the remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all enjoy 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 following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d someway survived 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 divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

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

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and grace of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and playing a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

The American's play in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When he finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use far too much effort to win it. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not only express how he feels or the strategy he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

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

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of winning a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {