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I have a few thoughts about the remarks delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler brought up the continued drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven major titles (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and powerful power on both front side and backhand are more than enough to dispose of the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, he is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a several significant, unexpected improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a victory that only felt uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a few match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly compelling proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he thought he could win. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

Fritz is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just say how he feels or the tactic he believed determined a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely unlikely for all other players. {