🔗 Share this article

I have some opinions about the comments made by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player in the New York major quarter-finals. Consider – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was understandable. Instead, Fowler invoked the continued absence of US male players at grand slam tournaments: not one of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the final representative in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But come on. Suppose the American defeated Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the following match, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he someway survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, against whom Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also divided the last seven major titles (plus Alcaraz went on to thrash a fatigued Djokovic in the subsequent match). Fritz said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the three best players in the sport in succession. He is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

The American star's second serve the sole barrier standing in her way and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the world starting this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that right now, that’s as far as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard sit a chasm of performance metrics away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on each forehand and reverse side are more than enough to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. When facing the select few generational talents, however, Fritz is frequently overmatched. The last several seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and playing a drop shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty harsh limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and held the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing drought of American men winning major titles when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is just too much and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best run to the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

Fritz’s play in that very quarter-final should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic won in four rounds, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when Fritz had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with the American earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic rescued break point after break point, extending the streak to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend excessive effort to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but finally double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, in my opinion, only a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of the Serbian, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The issue is those who were anticipating Fritz to win, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an asset to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective presence in media sessions, exceeding virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared 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 not spawn a male major champion since the last American titlist feels unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I don’t do it,” the American informed an interviewer in the summer of winning a grand slam. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {