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I have some opinions regarding that comments delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, he invoked the ongoing drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic 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 had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. He is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic quarter-final what other person sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his previous six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s elite delivery and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is frequently overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork 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 hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and including a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

The American star made a career-best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a terrible service game to lose his own serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much effort to win it. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to the sky. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, more so than virtually anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely improbable for everybody else. {