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I have a few thoughts about the remarks delivered by ESPN commentator a well-known announcer after Novak Djokovic's win over Taylor Fritz during the New York major last eight. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and sports often encourage nationalism. Some letdown would have been understandable. Instead, he invoked the continued absence of American men at grand slam tournaments: none of them had lifted a title since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

We all enjoy a storyline, myself included. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten the legend for the first time, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, whom Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow survived that, it would have been defending champion the Italian, versus him Fritz had dropped 10 of the previous eleven sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the previous seven major titles (and Alcaraz went on to defeat a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the top three players in the world back-to-back. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is meant to believe in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of American champions on the brain?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and sustained success

The American, 28, is ranked fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with growing comfort. Presumably he could take that spot for himself in the future. But it’s clear that right now, that is as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a chasm of performance metrics away. His elite serve and powerful strength on each forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat most rivals on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless cover the court with the surprising speed and fluidity of smaller players. He is six-foot-five and appears that way. His movement is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and playing a drop shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That serves as a quite severe restriction on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several significant, improbable improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years later, he was sniffing the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. 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 toughest of all. What was the commentator have been thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth commenting on the continuing slump of American men lifting major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the respect for the magnitude of the challenge too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the All England Club last four in the summer.

Fritz’s play in that exact last eight match ought to have been sufficient of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple match points and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair looked evenly matched during the rallies, with the American creating numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the brink of agony. When Fritz finally did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately produced a horrendous game to drop serve again; Djokovic had lulled him into a skirmish secondary to the real battle and compelled him to expend far too much energy to prevail. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to the sky. He prolonged the match twice on his second serve, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, only a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was fairly compelling evidence that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any version of Djokovic, that lost to Alcaraz in the next round and did not particularly appeared like he believed he could win. This is perfectly fine – Djokovic is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities anymore, but has acquired sufficient experience and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating Fritz 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 tour regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the men's tour aside from Daniil Medvedev, willing to not just say his emotions or the strategy he felt determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to shoulder the majority of the responsibility for the United States failing to produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Group

• The Spanish phenom
• Taylor Fritz (US)
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Division

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

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I don’t do it,” Fritz informed an interviewer in June of winning a grand slam. I hope he realizes that he’s not a failure if he doesn’t fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's dominant, formidable empire is actually extremely improbable for all other players. {