Break Point: all you need to know about the Netflix tennis series

December 23, 2022

ATP Tennis Players, Tennis News, WTA Tennis Players

Break Point: all you need to know about the Netflix tennis docuseries

Tennis’ wish for it’s own Drive to Survive style TV program has been answered as a new docuseries on Netflix has been announced, beginning the 13th January.

The series is in-fact made by the same producers as the hugely popular Formula One show, Box to Box films, however executive producer Paul Martin believes Break Point is structured to give “an entirely different feel”, showcasing “the physicality, mental side, rivalries and the pain” seen in tennis.

How many episodes will there be?

Break Point will span a total of ten episodes, being released in two parts.

Episodes one to five will be released on the 13th January, in the build-up to the Australian Open. However, you will have to wait until June to get your next fix with episodes six to ten being released midway through the year.

Who will feature in Break Point?

The series will showcase both the ATP and WTA tours, headlined by the likes of world no.1 Iga Swiatek, Matteo Berrettini and Nick Kyrgios.

Other faces you will see in the show include Stefanos Tsitsipas, Frances Tiafoe, Felix Auger-Aliassime, Paula Badosa, Taylor Fritz, Ons Jabeur, Sloane Stephens, Casper Ruud, Aryna Sabalenka, Maria Sakkari, Ajla Tomljanovic and Thanasi Kokkinakis.

who’s ready 👀@netflix jan 13, 2023 pic.twitter.com/jWaMUK6E8j
— Taylor Fritz (@Taylor_Fritz97) December 14, 2022

As well as following the current players on the tour, Break Point will feature revealing insights from tennis legends like John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick.

What tournaments does the series cover?

The first five episodes, released next month, will follow the action from the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Madrid and Roland Garros particularly focussing on Swiatek, Stephens, Kyrgios, Ruud, Jabeur, Tsitsipas and Berrettini.

The subsequent episodes concentrate on the latter half of the season, with Wimbledon, Eastbourne, Queens Club, the US Open and the WTA and ATP finals all featuring.

What should we expect from the show?

The only thing fans have seen from the show so far is the official teaser that Netflix released which lasts under a minute. The clip indicates that the series will put the different players under the spotlight, showcasing the ups and downs, both on and off the tennis court.

James Gay-Rees is another executive producer alongside producer Paul Martin, for Break Point. He suggested that the series highlighted the new era of tennis, with the likes of Roger Federer and Serena Williams’ career recently coming to an end.

“It’s hard to imagine another sport which has been so dominated by a handful of individuals for so long. But they are at the end of the cycle – barring, obviously, Novak and Rafa, to some extent. The changing of the guard is happening,” executive producer Gay-Rees said.

“The timing was really good, too. Because I love tennis, but I’m like, ‘Who is Tsitsipas?’ Do you know what I mean? In all honesty,” he added, “But actually, you realise, my God, he’s No 5 in the world. He’s a really, seriously, good tennis player and he’s a really interesting guy. And I’d like to know more about him. Because all I’ve heard for the last 15-20 years is, ‘Roger, Roger, Roger. Serena, Serena, Serena.’ For a reason, right? Obviously, we’re not disputing that, because they’re legends and icons. But I think it was really exciting shining a light on a new generation.”

Drive to Survive saw a huge increase in popularity for Formula One, with there now being four seasons, bringing in a new demographic of fans to the sport. The Box to Box films executive producers hope that the same can happen for tennis following the release of Break Point.

“You obviously want to keep the core audience happy – the tennis enthusiasts – but if we’re doing our job correctly, then the show should appeal to people who’ve got no interest in tennis at all,” Gay-Rees said. “The pre-Drive to Survive Formula One demographic might have been described by some people as fairly male, pale and stale. And I think that the show, alongside some other factors, has contributed to the demographic shifting significantly younger for that sport, which is obviously manna from heaven if that’s what your objective was.”

The success of Drive to Survive has enabled this series to happen among other projects, as the production company are now working on series’ about the worlds of golf and surfing.

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