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I have some thoughts about that remarks delivered by ESPN commentator Chris Fowler after Novak Djokovic's win over the American player during the New York major quarter-finals. Look – the athlete represents American, the commentator is from the US – and athletic competitions frequently lend themselves to nationalism. A little bit of disappointment would have been appropriate. Rather, he invoked the continued drought of American men at the majors: none of them had lifted a trophy since the last American champion in 2003, and he had been the last one standing in the tournament.

We all love a storyline, me too. But really. Suppose Fritz had beaten Djokovic for the initial occasion, force of nature Carlos Alcaraz was looming in the next round, who Fritz has never defeated in an official match. And had he somehow gotten past that, it would have been title holder Jannik Sinner, against whom the American had dropped 10 of the last 11 sets. The two young stars had also split the last seven major titles (and the Spaniard went on to thrash a tired Serbian in the next round). He said in post-match interviews following his defeat that he in fact preferred his draw, because it presented the opportunity to defeat the top three players in the sport in succession. Fritz is well justified to aim for the achievement; an competitor is supposed to have faith in themselves. But going into that Serbian quarter-final what other person in their right mind had the drought of US winners in mind?

Coco Gauff’s second serve the sole barrier between her and consistent victories

The American, 28, is placed fourth in the global rankings starting the upcoming year-end championships and has secured his previous six matches over third-ranked the German with increasing ease. Presumably he might claim that position for himself in the future. But evidently that at present, that’s as far as he can rise: Sinner and Alcaraz sit a chasm of performance metrics away. His elite delivery and powerful power on each forehand and backhand are sufficiently adequate to dispose of most opponents on the professional circuit. When facing the handful of generational talents, however, he is often helpless. The past few seasons has witnessed the curious emergence of lanky, towering athletes who can nevertheless move around with the surprising quickness and fluidity of smaller players. Fritz is 6ft 5ins and looks it. His footwork is stiff, as if he hasn't fully adapted to his limbs. So he seldom win a rally that the opponent was dictating, and hitting a soft shot versus him is usually a reliable tactic. That acts as a pretty severe limitation on his upside.

Fritz has achieved a several dramatic, unexpected improvements throughout his career. Early on of the decade, he was hovering around the bottom of the world's best thirty. Two years after, he was approaching the elite ten. The previous season, he unexpectedly exploded up to No 4 – and held the position. But the next leap, mixing it up with and beating all-time-greats like Alcaraz, the Italian, and including a declining Serbian, is the toughest 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 commenting on the continuing drought of American men lifting major titles when he had departed the US Open in the quarter-finals? The desperation is simply too much and the respect for the difficulty of the task too little.

Taylor Fritz achieved a personal best advancement to the Wimbledon last four in the summer.

The American's performance in that exact quarter-final ought to have been sufficient of an indication. The Serbian triumphed in four rounds, a victory that only felt uncertain for brief periods towards the conclusion, when the American had survived a few match points and had a chance to maintain serve for 5-5. The duo looked well-balanced during the exchanges, with Fritz earning plenty of chances to break. But the champion saved break point after service break opportunity, prolonging the streak to the point of agony. When Fritz finally did claim one of the chances at 5-5 in the middle stanza, he promptly produced a horrendous service game to lose his own serve once more; Djokovic had drawn him into a skirmish peripheral to the main contest and compelled him to use far too much effort to prevail. Down set points in the final game, Fritz’s primary delivery sailed to heaven. He extended the match two times on his backup delivery, but ultimately double-faulted. It was not a collapse, in my opinion, just a result of having to hit too many weaker deliveries.

The contest was quite ironclad evidence that Fritz is insufficiently skilled to defeat any form of the Serbian, who was defeated by the Spaniard in the next round and did not especially seem like he thought he could win. This is perfectly fine – the Serbian is the best player ever, and may not be at the height of his athletic abilities now, but has developed sufficient experience and tactical know-how to make up for quite a bit of the drop-off. The problem is those who were anticipating the American to prevail, and pressuring him to achieve that, when he was yet to accomplished anything that suggested he could.

The American is an asset to the circuit nonetheless. He’s a patient, thoughtful voice in press conferences, more so than almost everyone on the ATP except for Daniil Medvedev, prepared to not just say how he feels or the tactic he believed determined a match, but clarify it. That he ought to bear the brunt of the responsibility for America failing to produce a men's grand slam winner since Andy Roddick feels unfair. (Since the fellow American is competing alongside him in the rankings, perhaps they can share that burden.)

Year-End Championships: Player Divisions

Jimmy Connors Division

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

Bjorn Borg Division

• The Italian champion
• The German powerhouse
• The rising American
• The Canadian talent

“I’d probably dwell on it indefinitely if I don’t accomplish it,” Fritz told a journalist in the summer of claiming a major. I hope he realizes that he’s not unsuccessful if he doesn’t achieve that goal, that overcoming the Spanish and Italian's young, terrifying reign is in fact extremely improbable for all other players. {