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Alex de Minaur's hopes of reaching the ATP Finals semi-finals are hanging by a thread after a gut-wrenching three-set loss to Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti.

Crushing Defeat in Turin

The seventh-ranked player went down 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 requiring to decisively defeat Taylor Fritz in his last group match to qualify for the semi-finals.

Psychological Challenges Threaten Career

But facing 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 unsuccessful competitor of all six of his grand slam quarter-final appearances, the 26-year-old was unable to disguise his distress after suffering yet another crucial opportunity slipping away 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 sort out these problems because these are challenges that can't keep happening."

Professional Turning Point

"I mean, if I really want to be serious about taking the next step in my career, these contests, I must win them. I just must not. It seems as if I've been defeated in a lot of them this year. Most importantly, it's reaching a point where mentally it's destroying me."

Describing his feelings as "quite dark", 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 run of devastating defeats 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
• Semi-final 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 keep putting everything into these matches," de Minaur commented. "When the result's not there, it's hard to keep persevering."

Immediate Solution Needed

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

Forthcoming Test

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

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

Tournament Implications

The world No 2's victory, having already knocked over de Minaur, put Alcaraz a single victory away of claiming the year-end top ranking from Jannik Sinner.

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

"I'll attempt not to focus on it," commented Alcaraz. "This will represent a really big match for me. I will try not to let the nerves play a negative role in the match. I will think about my objectives, about feeling much better than today."