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I have some opinions about that comments delivered by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following the Serbian champion's win over the American player during the US Open last eight. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the ongoing drought of US male players at the majors: not one of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But come on. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, who he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive power on both forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is frequently overmatched. The last several seasons has seen the interesting rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and including a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been 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 US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a few match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, who lost to the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his physical powers now, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were expecting the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say his emotions or the tactic he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it forever if I fail to do it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually highly improbable for all other players. {