🔗 Share this article

I have a few thoughts regarding the remarks made by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player in the New York major last eight. Consider – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions often lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of letdown was appropriate. Rather, he brought up the continued absence of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and Fritz had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all enjoy a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him the American had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to thrash a fatigued Serbian in the subsequent match). He stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is more than justified to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But entering that Serbian last eight match who else in their right mind had the drought of American champions in mind?

Coco Gauff’s weaker delivery the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

Fritz, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting this week’s ATP World Tour Finals and has won his last six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might take that spot for himself in the coming years. But evidently that at present, that is as high as he can climb: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the select few generational talents, though, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the interesting rise of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he’ll rarely win a rally that the opponent was controlling, and hitting a soft shot against him is usually a safe bet. That serves as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

Fritz has made a number of dramatic, improbable improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to No 4 – and maintained the spot. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the ongoing slump of US male players lifting major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just excessive and the appreciation for the difficulty of the challenge too little.

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

The American's performance in that very quarter-final should have been enough of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when Fritz had survived a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz creating plenty of chances to break. But Djokovic saved break point after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a horrendous game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the real battle and compelled him to use far too much energy to prevail. Down match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve floated to the sky. He extended the contest twice on his backup delivery, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, in my opinion, just a consequence of needing to hit too many second serves.

The contest was quite ironclad proof that Fritz is not good enough to beat any form of the Serbian, that lost to the Spaniard in the following match and never particularly seem like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has developed enough knowledge and strategic intelligence to compensate for a significant portion of the drop-off. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to do so, when he was yet to done anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, prepared to not only say his emotions or the tactic he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the blame for America not spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the rankings, maybe they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Singles Groups

American legend Group

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• Alex de Minaur (Aus)
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it forever if I don’t do it,” the American informed a journalist in the summer of claiming a grand slam. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t achieve that objective, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact highly improbable for everybody else. {