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I have some opinions regarding the remarks made by ESPN broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. Some letdown was appropriate. Rather, Fowler invoked the continued drought of US male players at the majors: none 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 had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And if he’d someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in post-match interviews after the loss that he in fact liked his path, because it presented the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world back-to-back. He is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the lack of US winners on the brain?

The American star's weaker delivery the sole barrier between her and sustained success

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has won his previous six matches 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 right now, that is as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a chasm of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and concussive strength on both forehand and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, though, Fritz is often helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious emergence of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of smaller men. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

The American has made a number of significant, unexpected advancements over the years. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. The previous season, he suddenly exploded to No 4 – and held the position. But the subsequent step, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and including a aging Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

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

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a victory that only seemed uncertain for moments towards the very end, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz creating numerous chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of frustration. When Fritz finally did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Facing set points in the final game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the match twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a choke, I didn’t think, only a result of needing to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially appeared like he thought he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is those who were expecting Fritz to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that indicated he could.

The American is an asset to the tour regardless. He’s a patient, reflective voice in media sessions, more so than virtually anyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say his emotions or the tactic he felt decided a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for the United States not produce a male major champion since Andy Roddick seems unfair. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can share that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Group

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely dwell on it forever if I don’t 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 does not achieve that goal, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable reign is in fact highly improbable for all other players. {