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I have a few opinions about that comments delivered by the sports network commentator a well-known announcer following Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the New York major last eight. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is American – and athletic competitions often encourage patriotic sentiment. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Instead, he brought up the ongoing absence of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since Andy Roddick in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the competition.

Everyone love a storyline, me too. But really. Even if the American defeated the legend for the first time, phenomenal talent the Spanish star was waiting in the next round, whom Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow survived that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, versus him Fritz had lost 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also split the last seven major titles (and Alcaraz proceeded to defeat a tired Djokovic in the next round). Fritz stated in press following his defeat that he in fact liked his draw, because it presented the chance to defeat the top three competitors in the world in succession. Fritz is more than justified to aim for the achievement; an athlete is supposed to believe in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing between her and sustained success

Fritz, twenty-eight, is ranked number four in the world entering the upcoming ATP World Tour Finals and has secured his last six encounters over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he might claim that position for himself in the future. But it’s clear that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: The Italian and Spaniard lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s elite serve and concussive strength on both forehand and reverse side are more than adequate to defeat most rivals on the ATP tour. Against the select few generational talents, however, he is frequently helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious rise of lanky, towering players who can nonetheless move around with the alarming speed and fluidity of smaller men. 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 win a rally that the other player was controlling, and hitting a drop shot versus him is usually a safe bet. That acts as a pretty severe restriction on his upside.

The American has made a several significant, improbable improvements throughout his career. At the beginning of the decade, he was circling the lower end of the world's best thirty. 24 months later, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the spot. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating legendary figures like Alcaraz, the Italian, and even a declining Serbian, is the highest of all. What was Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a legitimate contender to beat them all back-to-back? That it was appropriate mentioning the continuing drought of American men winning major titles when he had exited the New York major in the quarter-finals? The thirst is just too much and the appreciation for the difficulty of the task insufficient.

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

Fritz’s play in that very last eight match should have been sufficient of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four rounds, a win that only seemed uncertain for brief periods towards the very end, when the American had survived a couple match points and had a chance to hold for 5-5. The duo appeared well-balanced during the rallies, with Fritz earning numerous opportunities to break. But the champion rescued service break opportunity after break point, extending the run to the brink of agony. When he finally did convert one of the opportunities at 5-5 in the second set, he promptly played a horrendous game to lose his own serve again; the Serbian had lulled him into a battle secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much energy to win it. Facing match points in the final game, Fritz’s first serve sailed to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a collapse, I didn’t think, just a result of needing to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The match was fairly ironclad proof that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to beat any version of Djokovic, who was defeated by Alcaraz in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly acceptable – the Serbian is the best player ever, and might not be at the height of his physical powers anymore, but has acquired sufficient knowledge and strategic intelligence to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and putting pressure on him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, exceeding almost everyone on the ATP except for the Russian star, willing to not just express his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a match, but clarify it. That he should bear the brunt of the blame for America not produce a male major champion since the last American titlist seems unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is rubbing shoulders with him in the rankings, perhaps they can divide that load.)

ATP Finals: Player Divisions

American legend Division

• The Spanish phenom
• The American contender
• The Australian speedster
• Lorenzo Musetti (It)

Bjorn Borg Group

• Jannik Sinner (It)
• The German powerhouse
• Ben Shelton (US)
• Félix Auger-Aliassime (Can)

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told an interviewer in June of winning a major. It is hoped he understands that he’s not unsuccessful if he does not fulfill that objective, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is actually highly improbable for everybody else. {