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I possess some thoughts about that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, Fowler is American – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

We all love a narrative, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the chance to beat the three best players in the sport in succession. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev 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’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite delivery and powerful strength on both front side and reverse side are more than enough to defeat the majority of opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often overmatched. The past few years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his potential.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been 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 drought of US male players winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Down set points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

The American is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American told a journalist in June of claiming a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {