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I have a few opinions about that remarks made by ESPN broadcaster Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often encourage nationalism. Some letdown would have been appropriate. Instead, he invoked the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, me too. But come on. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the world in succession. Fritz is more than within his right to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed number four in the world starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each forehand and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is often overmatched. The past few years has seen the curious rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the alarming quickness and fluidity of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot against him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a number of dramatic, improbable advancements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning 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 magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s performance in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of frustration. When he finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive energy to prevail. Facing set points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match two times on his second serve, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a result of needing to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly compelling evidence that the American is not good enough to beat any version of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never particularly seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The issue is those who were expecting Fritz to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding almost anyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express his emotions or the strategy he felt decided a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that the fellow American is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {