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I have a few opinions about that comments delivered by the sports network commentator Chris Fowler after the Serbian champion's victory over the American player in the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, Fowler is from the US – and sports often lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Rather, he invoked the ongoing drought of American men at grand slam tournaments: not one of them has won a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the tournament.

Everyone enjoy a narrative, myself included. But come on. Even if Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the first time, force of nature 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, against whom Fritz had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (plus the Spaniard went on to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact preferred his draw, because it offered the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the world back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final who else sensibly had the drought of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his last six encounters over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. It's likely he could claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that is as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and concussive strength on each forehand and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has seen the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and fluidity of smaller men. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot versus him is typically a safe bet. That acts as a quite severe limitation on his potential.

The American has made a several dramatic, improbable improvements over the years. At the beginning of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, 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 mentioning the ongoing slump of American men lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the task insufficient.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's play in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with the American earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, extending the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle secondary to the real battle and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Down match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He prolonged the match two times on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of Djokovic, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never especially appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

The American is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding almost anyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not only express how he feels or the strategy he felt determined a contest, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the blame for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist feels unfair. (Now that the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Swedish icon Group

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed a journalist in June of winning a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is in fact highly improbable for all other players. {