Australian summers are synonymous with a number of things: outdoor BBQs, lazing on the beach, backyard cricket, and naturally – a summer of sport. When it comes to the latter, few events stand out on the calendar quite like that of the Australian Open, which launches the tennis world into season, with the sport’s top players descending on Rod Laver arena all in the quest of emerging victorious with the Grand Slam title.
While the tennis world has long come to be dominated by a select handful of players – namely the likes of Djokovic, Nadal, Federer and Murray for the men’s singles competition, while Serena Williams has been an inimitable force in the women’s competition – in recent years there’s been a number of up-and-coming players testing their skills and honing their craft against the titans of the game. Where it used to be the case where you could practically guarantee a final with the top players in it, now there’s a growing sense of uncertainty, such is the burgeoning talent of tennis’ next crop of stars.
It’s this that fans are set to get a greater insight into thanks to Break Point. Where Drive to Survive gave audiences a greater understanding of the trials and tribulations of Formula 1 racing and the intense training it demands of its athletes, now the world of tennis is set to do the same as the series follows a select crop of top tennis players on and off the court as they compete in Grand Slams and tournaments around the world. Over a year of competition on the ATP and WTA tours, Break Point follows these players through it all.
You can expect to be shocked and surprised by not only the sheer talent of these athletes, but also the demands placed upon them and the sacrifices they are making daily in order to take their shot at becoming the best in the world. From career-threatening injuries and emotional heartbreak, to personal sagas off court and memorable victories, audiences are treated to a behind-the-scenes look at what elite sport entails, particularly when it comes to tennis.
Now, Netflix has released the first trailer for the series and it’s safe to say that we’ll be counting down the days until its release. “We are excited to continue bolstering our lineup of sports programming with this behind-the-scenes documentary series,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix Vice President of Unscripted & Documentary Series.
“Tennis is beloved all over the world, with high-stakes tournaments hopping across continents and athletes hailing from countless countries,” Riegg added. “Through this historic partnership with the four Grand Slam tournaments, the ATP Tour, WTA Tour, and ATP Media, the series will be packed with rare access and rich personal stories that are sure to draw in longtime fans and new audiences alike.”
The series will feature the likes of Taylor Fritz, Ajla Tomlijanovic, Ons Jabeur, Iga Swiatek, as well as Australia’s own Nick Kyrgios. Speaking about the power of documenting a side of tennis rarely seen, Canadian talent Felix Auger-Aliassime said of Break Point, “I think it’s going to make a great show, and I think we gave them some good content. For me the main goal is that it can help tennis. It can help tennis overall. That would be amazing if we could see a rise in the number of fans and attention for our sport by airing this series.”
The first five episodes of Break Point are scheduled to land on Netflix on January 13th of 2023, coinciding with the Australian Open. The next batch of episodes won’t arrive until June 2023, examining tournaments like Wimbledon, Eastbourne and the US Open.
