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The Australian tennis star's hopes of reaching the ATP Finals last four are hanging by a thread after a heartbreaking defeat in three sets to 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 stay alive in the event and now forcing the Australian requiring to convincingly beat Taylor Fritz in his third and final group match to qualify for the semi-finals.

Mental Demons Threaten Career

But confronting Fritz in 48 hours 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 grand slam quarter-final appearances, the twenty-six-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 handle 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 cannot continue occurring."

Career Crossroads

"I mean, if I really want to be genuine about advancing to the next level in my career, these matches, I can't lose them. I just can't. It feels like I've been defeated in a lot of them this year. Most importantly, it's getting to a point where mentally it's destroying me."

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

Recent Setbacks

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

• Recent 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5) result 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
• Defeated in a third-set tiebreaker to Andrey Rublev in the Doha semi-finals

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

Immediate Solution 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."

Forthcoming Test

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

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

Championship Consequences

The world No 2's victory, having already knocked over de Minaur, put Alcaraz a single victory away of securing 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 opener on Monday, goes unbeaten to defend his ATP Finals title.

"I will try not to focus on it," said 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 goals, about feeling much better than today."