From Heartbreak to Hope: De Minaur's Turin Fightback
Australian tennis star Alex de Minaur has staged a remarkable comeback, both mentally and on the scoreboard, to keep his ATP Finals campaign alive in Turin. Just days after describing himself in a "dark place" following a crushing defeat, the world No.7 dug deep to secure a must-win victory against American Taylor Fritz.
The 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 win over the world No.6 was a masterclass in resilience. De Minaur's tournament future hung by a thread after his disappointing loss to Italian Lorenzo Musetti, where he had served for the match but couldn't close it out. The Sydneysider had been openly devastated, admitting the mental toll of such losses was "killing me".
A Nerve-Wracking Path to Victory
The pressure was immense from the first serve. The opening set was a tense affair, with de Minaur finding himself in a precarious position at 4-4 and down 0-30 on his own serve. A break here for the big-serving Fritz would have likely condemned the Australian to an early exit from the tournament.
Instead, the 26-year-old showcased the fighting spirit he is renowned for. He clawed his way back into that crucial game, forced a tie-break, and then dominated it with brilliant, precise tennis. Having secured the first set, he carried that momentum into a far more one-sided second set, finally breaking his ATP Finals duck.
This was his first-ever victory at the season-ending championship, coming on his sixth attempt after a winless debut in Turin last year and losses to Carlos Alcaraz and Musetti earlier this week.
Emotional Relief and a Look to the Future
After sealing the match in one hour and 34 minutes, de Minaur's relief was palpable. He looked to the heavens with a look of pure joy before approaching a courtside TV camera. On the lens, he scrawled a single, telling word: "Finally", accompanied by a smiley emoji.
"I've dealt with a fair bit of heartbreak recently. It was good to - finally - get a win here in Turin," de Minaur said in his post-match interview. "A couple days ago, I was in a pretty dark place... So more than anything, I feel proud of my efforts, not for just coming out and winning, but also just for the mindset."
The Australian's fate now rests on the outcome of the other Green Group match between Carlos Alcaraz and Lorenzo Musetti. If Alcaraz wins, de Minaur will advance to the semi-finals. If Musetti triumphs in front of his home crowd, the Italian will progress instead.
When informed of the scenario, a cautious de Minaur responded, "I'm gonna have to see what happens." He added that he planned to relax and have a nice night in Torino, leaving the "what ifs" on the court. For Taylor Fritz, the tournament is over, while a win for the already-qualified Alcaraz would also guarantee him the year-end world No.1 ranking.
