🔗 Share this article

I possess a few opinions about that comments made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the US Open last eight. Consider – the athlete represents American, Fowler is American – and sports often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Rather, Fowler invoked the ongoing absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone love a narrative, myself included. But really. Even if Fritz defeated Djokovic for the first time, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, whom he has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz said in press after the loss that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to beat the three best competitors in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the achievement; an competitor is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that right now, that is as high as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and powerful power on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to dispose of the majority of opponents on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The past few years has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming quickness and grace of smaller players. Fritz is six-foot-five and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely steal a point that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That serves as a quite harsh restriction on his potential.

The American has made a number of significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, competing against and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could the commentator have been thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of US male players winning grand slams when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

The American star achieved a career-best run to the All England Club last four in July.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after service break opportunity, extending the streak to the point of frustration. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately 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 forced him to expend excessive energy to win it. Facing set points in the last game, his first serve floated to heaven. He prolonged the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially seem like he believed he could triumph. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not done anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than almost anyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say how he feels or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but explain it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

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

“I would likely think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {