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Alex de Minaur's aspirations of advancing to 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 stay alive in the tournament and now forcing the Australian needing to decisively defeat Taylor Fritz in his third and final group match to reach the semi-finals.

Psychological Challenges Threaten Career

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

A unsuccessful competitor of all six of his grand slam quarter-final appearances, the twenty-six-year-old was couldn't hide his distress after experiencing yet another high-stakes near miss with his finals destiny in his own hands.

"I'm uncertain how many times I can handle a loss like this one," de Minaur said in Turin. "I must talk to my team and try to resolve these issues because these are issues that cannot continue occurring."

Professional Turning Point

"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 reaching a point where psychologically it's killing 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 devastating defeats 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 keep putting everything into these matches," de Minaur said. "When the outcome isn't positive, it's difficult to keep pushing through."

Immediate Solution 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."

Forthcoming Test

De Minaur and Fritz are 5-5 in past meetings, though the sixth-ranked American emerged victorious in their meeting in this showpiece event last year.

The Australian's hopes remain flickering after Fritz experienced a 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 6-3 defeat to Carlos Alcaraz that guaranteed the Spaniard would progress to the semi-finals as the winner 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 securing the season-ending top ranking from Jannik Sinner.

Even if he is defeated by Musetti in his final group match, Alcaraz will reclaim the world No 1 ranking except if Sinner, who defeated Auger-Aliassime in his opener on Monday, goes unbeaten to defend his ATP Finals title.

"I'll attempt 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 concentrate on my objectives, about feeling much better than today."