🔗 Share this article

The Australian tennis star's aspirations of reaching the ATP Finals last four are hanging by a thread after a heartbreaking defeat in three sets to Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti.

Devastating Loss in Turin

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

Mental Demons Threaten Career

But confronting Fritz in two days' time is the least of de Minaur's pressing worries as the Sydney native concedes he must confront the psychological barriers that threaten to cruel his career.

A loser of all six of his grand slam quarter-final appearances, the twenty-six-year-old was couldn't hide his anguish after experiencing yet another crucial opportunity slipping away with his tournament fate 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 must talk to my team and try to sort out these problems because these are issues that can't keep happening."

Professional Turning Point

"Essentially, if I truly desire to be serious about taking the next step in my career, these contests, I can't lose them. I just must not. It seems as if I've lost a lot of them this year. More than anything, it's reaching a point where mentally it's killing me."

Describing his feelings as "very bleak", de Minaur lamented a series of final set collapses in 2025 and said he must discover methods to win the tight encounters.

Recent Setbacks

The top-ranked Australian's streak of crushing losses comprise:

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

"I continue investing everything into these matches," de Minaur said. "When the result's not there, it's difficult to keep pushing through."

Urgent Resolution Needed

"This is an issue that if it isn't resolved, it's going to consume me completely. I must get it sorted quickly rather than delayed."

Upcoming Challenge

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

The Australian's hopes remain alive after Fritz suffered a 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-3 loss to Carlos Alcaraz that guaranteed the Spaniard would progress to the semi-finals as the victor of the Jimmy Connors group.

Tournament Implications

The world No 2's victory, having already defeated de Minaur, put Alcaraz a single victory away of claiming the season-ending top ranking from Jannik Sinner.

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

"I will try not to think about it," commented Alcaraz. "This will represent a extremely important match for me. I will try not to let the anxiety play a bad time in the match. I will concentrate on my objectives, about performing much better than today."