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I possess some opinions about the remarks delivered by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Even if the American defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class serve and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is frequently helpless. The last several years has witnessed the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the top 30. Two years after, he was sniffing the elite ten. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the toughest of all. What could the commentator 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 winning grand slams when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's play in that very quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four sets, a win that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, prolonging the run to the point of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is the individuals who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not only say his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {