Out of all the sports embraced by Hollywood, tennis might not be the first to spring to mind. For whatever reason, tennis has taken a backseat to hockey, football and basketball, among others, when it comes to popular documentaries. Netflix’s Break Point has remedied this to a large extent. The popular series returned to the world of tennis earlier this year, and fans are already curious about what they can expect when they sit down to watch the latest episodes. Let’s take a look at everything you need to know about Break Point.
What is Break Point?
Break Point is an episodic documentary told across ten releases and released by Netflix in 2023. The Netflix show follows professional tennis players as they compete in Grand Slams, the WTA Tour and ATP Tour. Filmed in conjunction with the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the show offers viewers an unprecedented view into what happens behind the scenes of some of the most popular events in the sport.
The first five episodes of the first season of Break Point covered the French Open, Madrid Open, Indian Wells Masters and Australian Open, while the second five focused on the ATP Finals, WTA Finals, US Open, Queen’s Club, Eastbourne International and Wimbledon. The professional players featured in the first season included Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini, Taylor Fritz, Paula Badosa and Maria Sakkari, amongst many others.
In March of 2023, Break Point was renewed for a second season. All six episodes were released on 10 January 2024.
Break Point: season two
The second season of Break Point follows a journey similar to the first. It follows a select group of elite tennis players as they compete in Grand Slams and other tournaments all around the globe. From triumph to defeat and everything in between, the series showcases the challenges players face as they attempt to cope with the pressure of being the best in the industry. Perhaps most interestingly, the new episodes follow some other players, including the 2023 Men’s Wimbledon winner, Carlos Alcarez; men’s number 4, Daniil Medvedev; 2023 Women’s US Open winner, Coca Guaff; and women’s world number 4, Jessica Pegula.
Season two captures the rise of new talent as long-time players consider retiring. There are six episodes in total:
- Episode one: The Curse
- Episode two: The Future is Yours
- Episode three: Friend or Foe
- Episode four: Unfinished Business
- Episode five: Now or Never
- Episode six: Becoming the One
The first episode addresses an in-house jokey suspicion that developed during the first season of the series and seems to continue throughout the second too. The vast majority of the players followed, which include some of the top in the industry, have had a rough time of it on the court. It is noticed how bad luck seems to follow the athletes the camera focuses on. From injuries to poor performances, nine of the ten athletes portrayed in season one of the series were absent from the competition by the second week of the first Grand Slam of the season for one reason or another. This has become known as the “Netflix Curse” and viewers are curious to see if it holds up the second time around.
Will fans have an easier time finding a match point winner in season two? Of the players followed, Carlos Alcaraz, Coco Gauff, Maria Sakkari, Frances Tiafoe and Arnya Sabalenka have all had impressive seasons, at least so far. Time will tell how their long-term performances look, but so far, so good. Fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic as far as the “curse” is concerned and are looking at much brighter outcomes than season one delivered.
Have you watched season two of Netflix’s Break Point? Which story is your favourite? We’re hard-pressed to pick between the many compelling stories explored, but Sabalenka’s moving tribute to her late father, to whom she dedicated the biggest win of her career and her first major title to date, was one of the most moving.
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