🔗 Share this article

I have some thoughts regarding the remarks delivered by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the world in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position 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 vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, though, he is often helpless. The past few years has seen the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter men. He is 6ft 5ins 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 other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the All England Club last four in the summer.

The American's performance in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the rallies, with Fritz creating numerous chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling proof that the American is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed 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 pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon 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,” Fritz informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {