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The Australian tennis star's hopes of reaching the ATP Finals last four are hanging by a thread 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 being unable to close 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.

Mental Demons Threaten Career

But facing Fritz in two days' time is the smallest of de Minaur's immediate concerns as the Sydneysider concedes he must confront the psychological barriers that risk undermining his career.

A loser of all six of his grand slam quarter-final appearances, the twenty-six-year-old was unable to disguise his anguish after experiencing 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 must talk to my team and try to sort out these issues because these are challenges that cannot continue occurring."

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 feels like I've been defeated in a lot of them this year. Most importantly, it's reaching a point where psychologically it's killing me."

Describing his feelings as "very bleak", de Minaur bemoaned a succession of final set collapses in 2025 and said he must find a way to win the tight encounters.

Recent Disappointments

The Australia No 1's run 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
• 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. "Whenever the result's not there, it's hard to keep pushing through."

Urgent Resolution Needed

"It's something that if it doesn't get sorted, it's going to consume me completely. I need to get it sorted quickly rather than delayed."

Upcoming Challenge

De Minaur and Fritz are 5-5 in previous encounters, though the American world No 6 emerged victorious in their meeting in this prestigious tournament last year.

The Aussie's chances remain alive after Fritz experienced 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 win, having already defeated 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 last round-robin contest, Alcaraz will reclaim the world No 1 ranking unless Sinner, who defeated Auger-Aliassime in his opener on Monday, goes unbeaten 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 nerves play a bad time in the match. I will think about my objectives, about feeling much better than today."