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I possess some opinions about that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some letdown was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the ongoing absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, who Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. He is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is placed number four in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are more than adequate to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of significant, unexpected advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of American men lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American creating plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just express how he feels or the tactic he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {