🔗 Share this article

I have a few thoughts about that remarks made by the sports network broadcaster a well-known announcer after the Serbian champion's win over Taylor Fritz in the US Open last eight. Consider – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions frequently encourage nationalism. A little bit of disappointment was understandable. Instead, he brought up the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them has won a title since Andy Roddick in 2003, and Fritz 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 initial occasion, force of nature the Spanish star was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an competitive encounter. And had he someway gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had lost 10 of the previous eleven sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven grand slams (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a fatigued Djokovic in the next round). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he actually preferred his draw, because it offered the opportunity to beat the top three players in the world in succession. Fritz is well within his right to aim for the accomplishment; an athlete is supposed to have faith in themselves. But entering that Djokovic last eight match what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners on the brain?

The American star's second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

The American, 28, is placed number four in the world starting the upcoming year-end championships and has won his previous six encounters over third-ranked 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 high as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive power on both front side and backhand are more than adequate to defeat most opponents on the ATP tour. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The last several years has witnessed the curious rise of tall, gangly players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming quickness and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and appears that way. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a quite severe restriction on his potential.

Fritz has made a several dramatic, unexpected improvements over the years. Early on of the decade, he was circling the bottom of the world's best thirty. 24 months after, he was approaching the top 10. Last year, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and maintained the position. But the next leap, competing against and beating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a declining Djokovic, is the highest of all. What could the commentator thinking? That Fritz, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate commenting on the ongoing drought of US male players lifting grand slams when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is simply too much and the respect for the difficulty of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in July.

Fritz’s performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been enough of an sign. The Serbian won in four rounds, a win that only felt tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when the American had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo looked evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to win the opponent's serve. But the champion saved service break opportunity after break point, prolonging the run to the brink of agony. When he eventually did claim a single of the chances at 5-5 in the second set, he immediately played a terrible game to drop serve once more; the Serbian had drawn him into a battle peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to expend far too much effort to win it. Down set points in the last game, Fritz’s primary delivery floated to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but finally committed two errors. It wasn’t a collapse, I didn’t think, only a result of having to hit too many second serves.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, that was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not particularly seem like he believed he could triumph. This is absolutely fine – the Serbian is the greatest of all time, and might not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to make up for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and putting pressure on him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that indicated he would.

Fritz is an valuable contributor to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a calm, reflective voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP aside from the Russian star, willing to not just say how he feels 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 not spawn a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unjust. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the standings, perhaps they can divide that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Division

• Carlos Alcaraz (Sp)
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• The Italian stylist

Bjorn Borg Group

• The Italian champion
• Alexander Zverev (Ger)
• Ben Shelton (US)
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to do it,” the American told a journalist in the summer of winning a major. I hope he understands that he’s not a failure if he does not fulfill that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually extremely unlikely for everybody else. {