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I have some thoughts about that comments made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the following match, whom he has never defeated in an official match. And had he someway survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in press after the loss that he in fact liked his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is ranked number four in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of ranking points away. His elite serve and powerful strength on each forehand and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has seen the interesting emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, 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 drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and held the position. 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 was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star made a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in July.

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few match points and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding virtually anyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {