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I possess a few thoughts about that remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz during the US Open last eight. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is from the US – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was appropriate. Instead, he invoked the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person sensibly had the lack of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter players. He is six-foot-five 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 drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of American men lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion rescued break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a terrible service game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend excessive effort to win it. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not especially seem like he thought he could triumph. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not just say his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually highly unlikely for all other players. {