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I have a few thoughts about that remarks made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose Fritz defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the subsequent match). He said in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than within his right to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

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

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on both front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is frequently helpless. The past few years has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. Last year, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

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

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of agony. When he finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately played a terrible game to drop serve again; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much effort to prevail. Facing match points in the last game, his first serve floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was quite compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard 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 athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he would.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in media sessions, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I fail to do it,” the American informed an interviewer in June of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {