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I have a few opinions about that remarks made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, Fowler is from the US – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of US male players at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose the American defeated the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, who 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 the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match what other person in their right mind had the lack of American champions in mind?

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

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the global rankings starting the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of ranking points away. His top-class delivery and concussive strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently adequate to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The last several years has seen the interesting emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless move around with the surprising speed and fluidity of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty 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 circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like the young Spaniard, Sinner, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players winning grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the magnitude of the task too little.

The American star achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon semi-finals in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian triumphed in four sets, a victory that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a few match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But Djokovic saved service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly played a horrendous game to drop serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive energy to win it. Down match points in the last game, his primary delivery floated to the sky. He prolonged the contest two times on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a consequence of needing to hit an excessive number of second serves.

The contest was fairly ironclad evidence that the American is not good enough to beat any form of Djokovic, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the following match and did not especially seem like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired enough experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is those who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say his emotions or the strategy he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he should shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unjust. (Now that Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

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

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it forever if I fail to do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying empire is in fact extremely unlikely for everybody else. {