Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has suffered a devastating collapse at the ATP Finals in Turin, missing out on a $US396,500 ($A607,000) win bonus and potentially squandering his chance to reach the semi-finals.
Brutal Defeat in Turin
The 26-year-old Sydneysider appeared poised for victory against Italy's Lorenzo Musetti, standing just two points away from securing the match before his game unravelled dramatically. In a stunning turnaround, de Minaur was broken twice in the final three games as Musetti claimed a popular 7-5 3-6 7-5 victory on home soil.
De Minaur's semi-final fate now rests largely out of his hands, requiring both an upset win over Taylor Fritz and likely a Carlos Alcaraz triumph over Musetti to advance from the group stage. The defeat extends the Australian's frustrating record at the season-ending championships, where he remains winless in five matches across the past two years.
Match of Twists and Turns
The encounter began with de Minaur's hopes of a straightforward victory foiled when he was broken in the 11th game of the opening set. He narrowly avoided being broken in the first game of the second set before turning the tables on Musetti with a break at 5-3, then consolidating to level the match.
De Minaur started the third and final set strongly, breaking immediately and appearing on course to claim the substantial win bonus. However, Musetti had other ideas. The Italian saved a crucial break point at 2-4, 30-40 and, spurred on by a raucous home crowd, fought back for an epic victory.
Musetti's Crowd-Powered Recovery
"Today at a certain point of the match I was really struggling physically. Alex raised the level and intensity," Musetti admitted after the match. "I was struggling to find solutions. But then with a big heart, with big passion for this game — I don't know from where — I started to feel better and to play better."
The Italian made special mention of the crowd support, describing it as "literally amazing" and acknowledging their role in his comeback victory. The result continues de Minaur's struggles against his nearest rivals despite his recent ascent into the world's top 10, reinforcing his reputation as a player who comes close but falls at crucial moments.
The Australian now faces a must-win encounter against Taylor Fritz while hoping other results fall his way to keep his ATP Finals campaign alive in what has become a dramatically challenging path to the semi-finals.
