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I have a few thoughts regarding that comments made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. Fritz is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind 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

Fritz, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and concussive strength on both front side and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable improvements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and held the position. But the next leap, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could the commentator 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 US male players lifting grand slams when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task too little.

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

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When he finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not just express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Division

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

“I’d probably think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {