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The Australian tennis star's hopes of advancing to the ATP Finals last four are dangling by a slender margin after a gut-wrenching defeat in three sets to Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti.

Devastating Loss in Turin

The seventh-ranked player succumbed 7-5 3-6 7-5 after failing to serve out the match, allowing the Italian to stay alive in the tournament and now forcing the Australian needing to decisively defeat 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 concedes he must confront the mental demons that risk undermining his career.

A loser of all six of his major tournament quarter-final appearances, the 26-year-old was unable to disguise his distress after experiencing yet another high-stakes near miss with his tournament fate in his own hands.

"I'm uncertain how many times I can deal with a loss like this one," de Minaur stated in Turin. "I must 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 taking the next step in my career, these matches, I can't lose them. I just can't. It seems as if I've been defeated in a lot of them this year. More than anything, it's getting to a point where mentally it's killing me."

Characterizing his emotions as "very bleak", de Minaur bemoaned a series of third-set slip-ups in 2025 and said he must find a way to win the tight encounters.

Recent Setbacks

The Australia No 1's streak of crushing losses comprise:

• Recent 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5) outcome against Alexander Bublik at the Paris Masters
• Tightly-fought US Open quarter-final defeat to Felix Auger-Aliassime
• Final four in Monte Carlo against Musetti
• Wasted 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 said. "Whenever the outcome isn't positive, it's hard to keep persevering."

Urgent Resolution Needed

"This is an issue that if it doesn't get sorted, it's going to eat me alive. I need to get it sorted quickly rather than delayed."

Upcoming Challenge

De Minaur and Fritz are tied at five wins each in past meetings, though the American world No 6 emerged victorious in their meeting in this showpiece event last year.

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

Tournament Implications

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

Even if he is defeated by Musetti in his last round-robin contest, Alcaraz will reclaim the world No 1 ranking except if Sinner, who beat Auger-Aliassime in his first match on Monday, goes unbeaten to defend his ATP Finals title.

"I will try not to focus on it," said Alcaraz. "It's going to be a extremely important match for me. I will try not to let the nerves play a bad time in the match. I will think about my goals, about feeling much better than today."