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I possess a few opinions regarding the remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's victory over Taylor Fritz in the US Open quarter-finals. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and sports frequently encourage patriotic sentiment. Some disappointment would have been understandable. Instead, he invoked the ongoing absence of American men 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, me too. But really. Even if Fritz had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to thrash a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it presented the chance to defeat the three best competitors in the sport in succession. He is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match who else sensibly had the drought of US winners in mind?

The American star's weaker delivery the only thing between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings entering this week’s year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked Alexander Zverev with growing comfort. Presumably he could claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. His top-class serve and powerful power on each front side and backhand are sufficiently enough to defeat the majority of rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, however, he is often overmatched. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising quickness and grace of much shorter players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is rigid, as if he’s still getting used to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the opponent was dictating, 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 several significant, improbable advancements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. Two years later, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, Sinner, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What was the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of American men winning major titles when he had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

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

Fritz’s performance in that exact last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only felt uncertain for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared 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 he finally did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had lulled him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to expend far too much energy to win it. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of the Serbian, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the following match and never especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and might 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 decline. The issue is those who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an valuable contributor to the tour nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just express how he feels or the tactic he believed determined a match, but explain it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for America failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, maybe they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Swedish icon Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t accomplish it,” the American told an interviewer in June of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that overcoming Alcaraz and Sinner’s young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {