{'Mentally it's killing me': Alex de Minaur on verge of ATP Finals exit after third-set collapse

The Australian tennis star's aspirations of advancing to the ATP Finals last four are dangling by a slender margin after a heartbreaking three-set loss to Italian opponent Lorenzo Musetti.

Devastating Loss in Turin

The world No 7 went down 7-5 3-6 7-5 after failing to serve out the match, keeping the Italian to stay alive in the tournament and now leaving the Australian needing to convincingly beat 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 smallest of de Minaur's pressing worries as the Sydney native concedes he must confront the mental demons that risk undermining his career.

A unsuccessful competitor of all six of his major tournament quarter-final appearances, the 26-year-old was couldn't hide his anguish after suffering 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 can't keep happening."

Career Crossroads

"Essentially, if I truly desire to be genuine about advancing to the next level in my career, these contests, I can't lose them. I just can't. It seems as if I've lost a lot of them this year. Most importantly, it's reaching a point where psychologically it's killing me."

Describing his emotions as "quite dark", de Minaur lamented a series of third-set slip-ups in 2025 and said he must find a way to win the close matches.

Recent Setbacks

The top-ranked Australian's run of crushing losses comprise:

• Recent 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
• 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 continue investing everything into these matches," de Minaur said. "When the result's not there, 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 must get it sorted sooner rather than later."

Upcoming Challenge

De Minaur and Fritz are 5-5 in previous encounters, though the American world No 6 won their matchup in this prestigious tournament 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 ensured the Spaniard would advance to the semi-finals as the victor 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.

Even if he is defeated by Musetti in his final group match, Alcaraz will regain the world No 1 ranking except if Sinner, who defeated 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. "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 concentrate on my objectives, about feeling much better than today."