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I have a few opinions about that remarks made by the sports network broadcaster Chris Fowler following Novak Djokovic's victory over Taylor Fritz in the New York major quarter-finals. Look – Fritz is the United States, the commentator is from the US – and sports frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, Fowler brought up the ongoing absence of US male players 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 love a narrative, myself included. But really. Suppose the American had beaten the legend for the initial occasion, phenomenal talent Carlos Alcaraz was waiting in the following match, who Fritz has yet to beat in an competitive encounter. And if he’d somehow gotten past that, it would have been defending champion Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. Alcaraz and Sinner had also divided the previous seven grand slams (and the Spaniard proceeded to defeat a fatigued Serbian in the next round). Fritz said in press following his defeat that he actually preferred his path, because it offered the opportunity to beat the three best players in the sport back-to-back. Fritz is well within his right to aspire to the accomplishment; an athlete is meant to have faith in themselves. But going into that Djokovic last eight match who else in their right mind had the lack of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the only thing standing in her way and consistent victories

The American, twenty-eight, is placed fourth in the world entering this week’s year-end championships and has secured his last six matches over No 3 Alexander Zverev with increasing ease. It's likely he could take that spot for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can climb: Sinner and Alcaraz lie a vast gap of ranking points away. Fritz’s top-class delivery and powerful strength on both forehand and reverse side are sufficiently enough to defeat most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the select few once-in-a-lifetime players, however, he is often helpless. The last several seasons has seen the curious rise of tall, gangly athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising speed and grace of smaller players. He is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His movement is rigid, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his legs. So he seldom steal a point that the other player was dictating, and hitting a drop shot versus him is typically a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty harsh restriction on his upside.

The American has achieved a number of dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the lower end of the top 30. 24 months after, he was sniffing the elite ten. The previous season, he suddenly surged up to fourth place – and maintained the position. But the subsequent step, competing against and defeating legendary figures like the young Spaniard, the Italian, and even a aging Serbian, is the highest of all. What could Fowler thinking? That the American, in 2025, was a serious threat to beat them all back-to-back? That it was worth mentioning the continuing slump of US male players lifting grand slams when Fritz had departed the New York major in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the appreciation for the magnitude of the challenge insufficient.

Taylor Fritz made a career-best run to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

Fritz’s performance in that very last eight match should have been enough of an indication. Djokovic triumphed in four sets, a win that only seemed tenuous for moments towards the conclusion, when Fritz had saved a couple championship opportunities and had a opportunity to hold for 5-5. The pair appeared evenly matched during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to win the opponent's serve. But the champion rescued break point after service break opportunity, extending the run to the point of agony. When he eventually did convert a single of the opportunities at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he immediately produced a horrendous game to drop serve again; the Serbian had drawn him into a skirmish secondary to the main contest and compelled him to use excessive effort to win it. Facing match points in the last game, Fritz’s first serve floated to heaven. He extended the contest twice on his second serve, but ultimately committed two errors. It was not a choke, in my opinion, just a consequence of having to hit an excessive number of weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite compelling proof that the American is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, 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 greatest of all time, and might not be at the peak of his athletic abilities now, but has acquired enough knowledge and tactical know-how to compensate for a significant portion of the decline. The problem is the individuals who were anticipating the American to win, and pressuring him to do so, when he was had not accomplished anything that suggested he would.

Fritz is an asset to the circuit regardless. He’s a patient, thoughtful presence in media sessions, more so than virtually everyone on the men's tour except for Daniil Medvedev, willing to not only say his emotions or the tactic he believed decided a contest, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the blame for the United States failing to spawn a male major champion since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since Ben Shelton is competing alongside him in the standings, perhaps they can share that load.)

Year-End Championships: Singles Groups

American legend Group

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

Swedish icon Division

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

“I’d probably think about it indefinitely if I fail to accomplish it,” the American told a journalist in June of claiming a major. It is hoped he realizes that he’s not a failure if he does not achieve that goal, that breaking through the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact highly unlikely for everybody else. {