De Minaur Beats Fritz to Enter ATP Finals Semifinals

Alex de Minaur arrived at the Inalpi Arena carrying the weight of five earlier losses at the ATP Finals. For him, the arena felt like a difficult and painful place. He admitted that these losses had almost damaged his confidence and love for the sport. But this time, he entered with a different mindset, ready to fight and forget the fear of losing.

De Minaur defeated American player Taylor Fritz 7-6(3), 6-3 in a confident and powerful performance. This victory was important not only because it sent Fritz out of the tournament, but also because it gave de Minaur his first ATP Finals match win. With this win, he reached the semifinals in Turin for the first time in his career.

Only two days earlier, de Minaur lost a heartbreaking match against Lorenzo Musetti after being so close to winning. He had a 5-3 lead in the final set but still lost. This defeat put him in what he described as a very dark place mentally. He said he even felt hatred toward the sport for a moment. But instead of giving up, he decided to enter the next match with clear tactics and full commitment.

Speaking after the match, de Minaur said he had made peace with whatever result would come. He promised himself to play his own style of tennis and accept any outcome. This change in mindset helped him play with freedom, confidence and strong belief. He said that winning this match gave him positive energy after a long and challenging season.

De Minaur surprised many by serving better than Fritz, who is known as one of the biggest servers in tennis. De Minaur won 30 of 36 first-serve points and faced only one break point in the entire match. He also used serve-and-volley plays at important moments, which helped him control the pace and pressure. When he reached the final game, he stayed strong even after dropping to love-30. He hit an ace and smartly attacked the net to finish the match.

Taylor Fritz entered the match tired and in pain after a long match against Carlos Alcaraz earlier in the week. He had knee tendinitis and said his knee felt completely worn out. Against a fast and energetic player like de Minaur, Fritz found it difficult to keep up. His usually strong forehand produced many mistakes, especially in the first-set tiebreak. The loss ended his 2025 season without reaching the semifinals.

Carlos Alcaraz had already secured his spot in the semifinals after defeating Lorenzo Musetti 6-4, 6-1. His win also helped de Minaur qualify. Now, de Minaur joins Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. This makes him only the third Australian in history to reach the ATP Finals semifinals after John Newcombe and Lleyton Hewitt.

De Minaur said these two days changed everything for him. The same place that brought him sadness now became the place of one of his happiest career moments. He said he is proud that he stayed brave, stayed aggressive and played to win. The match gave him confidence, relief and belief that he can fight through difficult moments and still succeed.