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I have a few thoughts regarding that remarks delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer following the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, he brought up the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom the American had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in press after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best players in the world in succession. He is well justified to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match who else sensibly had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive power on each forehand and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of most opponents on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the interesting emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and grace 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’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players winning grand slams when he had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian won in four sets, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the rallies, with the American creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and forced him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the match twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, only a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The match was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the following match and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States not produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t do it,” the American told a journalist in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for all other players. {