🔗 Share this article

The Australian tennis star's aspirations of advancing to the ATP Finals last four are dangling by a slender margin after a heartbreaking three-set loss to Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti.

Crushing Defeat in Turin

The world No 7 succumbed 7-5 3-6 7-5 after being unable to close out the match, keeping the Italian to remain in the event and now forcing the Australian needing to convincingly beat Taylor Fritz in his third and final group match to qualify for the semi-finals.

Psychological Challenges Threaten Career

But facing Fritz in two days' time is the smallest of de Minaur's immediate concerns as the Sydney native admits he must confront the psychological barriers that threaten to cruel his career.

A unsuccessful competitor of all six of his major tournament quarter-final appearances, the 26-year-old was couldn't hide his anguish after experiencing yet another high-stakes near miss with his finals destiny in his own hands.

"I don't know how many times I can deal with a loss like this one," de Minaur said in Turin. "I just have to talk to my team and try to resolve these problems because these are challenges that can't keep happening."

Career Crossroads

"I mean, if I truly desire to be serious about advancing to the next level in my career, these matches, I must win them. I just can't. It seems as if I've lost a lot of them this year. More than anything, it's reaching a point where psychologically it's destroying me."

Characterizing his feelings as "quite dark", de Minaur bemoaned a series of third-set slip-ups in 2025 and said he must discover methods to win the tight encounters.

Recent Disappointments

The top-ranked Australian's streak of devastating defeats include:

• Recent 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5) outcome against Alexander Bublik at the Paris Masters
• Closely-contested US Open quarter-final loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Final four in Monte Carlo against Musetti
• Squandered two-set lead against Bublik at the French Open
• Lost in a third-set tiebreaker to Andrey Rublev in the Doha semi-finals

"I continue investing everything into these matches," de Minaur commented. "Whenever the outcome isn't positive, it's difficult to keep persevering."

Urgent Resolution Needed

"It's something that if it isn't resolved, it's going to eat me alive. I must get it sorted sooner rather than later."

Upcoming Challenge

De Minaur and Fritz are 5-5 in past meetings, though the sixth-ranked American won their matchup in this prestigious tournament last year.

The Aussie's chances remain flickering after Fritz suffered a 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-3 defeat to Carlos Alcaraz that ensured the Spaniard would progress to the semi-finals as the winner of the Jimmy Connors group.

Championship Consequences

The second-ranked player's victory, having already knocked over de Minaur, put Alcaraz within one win of claiming the season-ending top ranking from Jannik Sinner.

Regardless if he loses to Musetti in his final group match, Alcaraz will regain the world No 1 ranking unless Sinner, who defeated Auger-Aliassime in his first match on Monday, goes unbeaten to retain his ATP Finals title.

"I'll attempt not to think about it," commented Alcaraz. "It's going to be a really big match for me. I will try not to let the anxiety play a negative role in the match. I will concentrate on my goals, about performing much better than today."