𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 - 𝐬𝐩𝐚𝐦

Break Point Season 2

Alright so I'm going to do a bit of a rant/breakdown of Netflix's second season of Break Point. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's a bit like Drive To Survive but Tennis edition. However, not everyone gives access so it's a bit selective about who it follows e.g. Rafa, Coco and Novak don't provide access but Alcaraz, Sabalenka and most of the other American players do.

My first point is about how there are only six episodes! Last season had ten and it was so much better because it flowed better. We could follow the four slams, Indian Wells and the ATP and WTA finals but this season seems a bit rushed and a bit condensed. We already missed out that Rafa was injured and opened up the competition a bit more.

There was hardly any coverage of any of the women this season bar Sabalenka who still had to share her episode with the men because her episode was all about the Netflix curse. I feel like the curse narrative overshadowed her first win at a slam and the emotional connection to her late father. I know part of this is to do with who allows access and who doesn't and Ajla and Sakkari were injured/went out early, as did Badosa.

I love Holger Rune, he's going to do great things but an entire episode following him across Indian Wells and Wimbledon when Carlos Alcaraz gave access and literally won Wimbledon against Djokovic was a questionable choice. Carlos is currently world number two with two grand slams to his name and is one of the few younger ones (at the moment), alongside Sinner that is able to beat Djokovic. Also, at the premiere of season one, Ajla, Matteo and Fritz all said to follow Taylor because it would be interesting. A bit weird if you ask me.

The Zverev episode ENRAGED me. How are you going to make an entire episode about him and paint him out to be the angel??? And you've got poor Daniil Medvedev giving the cameras access and they paint him as the villain? What the actual fuck?

I'm the first to admit how much I loooovveee Frances Tiafoe and Taylor Fritz (and of course Benny Sheltz but he wasn't really featured too heavily in this episode) but the whole episode about the supposed rivalry between them and Tommy Paul for the top American player fell a bit flat? It felt like Netflix tried to make something more of it when Frances and Taylor are really good friends. Although, it was interesting to find out more about Tommy and his background.

Coco Gauff didn't actually participate in the show which is absolutely fine because I fully support her and her decisions but it did mean that Netflix glossed over her amazing victory at the US Open. I definitely feel that they could have done a lot more there by speaking to the journalists more, even speaking to some of the other players (similar to how they still involved Kyrigos in Rune's episode).

I've not watched all the episodes yet and I'm really looking forward to Maria Sakkari and Jessica Pegula talking about the mental side of tennis and mental health as it's really important and I've heard people say that it was really well done.

What was done really well was the involvement of members of a tennis player's team this season. We saw a lot more from coaches, performance coaches, physios and even parents which was really nice actually. It gave an interesting perspective on what it takes to build a player up in such an intense sport.

I think what I missed this series was having more variety of players? Idk. I feel like I've seen so much of Fritz and I love him but I think he gets more screen time because he's American? I know Ajla was injured but I was really interested in Félix Auger-Alliasime, Casper Ruud, Ons Jabeur and Iga Swiatek last series but maybe I would have said the same thing if they were in this series.

This show is more for people who don't know much about tennis and who are getting into the sport, a bit like DTS.

ANYWAY, I love Break Point and I think you should all watch it. If not for the tennis, for the drama and the 'plot' (that means really attractive sports people by the way).