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I have some thoughts about the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's victory over the American player during the New York major last eight. Consider – Fritz is American, the commentator is American – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. Some disappointment was appropriate. Instead, he brought up the continued absence of American men at the majors: not one of them has won a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But come on. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom he has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews after the loss that he actually liked his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is more than within his right to aspire to the achievement; an athlete is meant to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian quarter-final who else sensibly had the drought of American champions on the brain?

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

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over No 3 the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the coming years. But it’s clear that at present, that is as high as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful strength on each front side and backhand are more than adequate to dispose of the majority of rivals on the ATP tour. Against the handful of once-in-a-lifetime players, however, Fritz is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of tall, gangly athletes who can nonetheless cover the court with the alarming speed and fluidity of much shorter players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was controlling, and hitting a soft shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That serves as a pretty severe limitation on his potential.

The American has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected advancements throughout his career. Early on of the ten-year period, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a aging Serbian, is the toughest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to defeat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the ongoing slump of American men winning grand slams when Fritz had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

The American star achieved a career-best advancement to the All England Club semi-finals in July.

The American's play in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an sign. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a few championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved break point after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz eventually did convert one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the real battle and forced him to use far too much energy to win it. Down match points in the final game, his first serve floated to heaven. He extended the contest two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a choke, I didn’t think, just a consequence of having to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite compelling proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and never especially appeared like he believed he could win. This is absolutely acceptable – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the peak of his physical powers now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were expecting the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, exceeding virtually anyone on the men's tour except for the Russian star, prepared to not just say how he feels or the strategy he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a men's grand slam winner since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

Jimmy Connors Division

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Division

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I would likely think about it forever if I don’t do it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that objective, that breaking through Alcaraz and Sinner’s dominant, formidable empire is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {