🔗 Share this article

I possess some opinions about the comments made by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at the majors: not one of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who he has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the previous seven grand slams (plus Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six matches over No 3 the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard sit a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive strength on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the handful of generational talents, though, Fritz is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

Fritz has made a several significant, unexpected improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was circling the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to No 4 – and held the position. But the next leap, competing against and defeating legendary figures like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of US male players winning major titles 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 too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a career-best run to the All England Club semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the streak to the point of frustration. When he eventually did convert 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 peripheral to the main contest and forced him to expend excessive energy to prevail. Down set points in the final game, his primary delivery sailed to the sky. He prolonged the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that the American is not good enough to defeat any version of the Serbian, who lost to Alcaraz in the next round and never particularly appeared like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has developed enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was had not done anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective presence in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American informed an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact highly unlikely for all other players. {