Tag: Netflix

Netflix’s ‘Break Point’ Docuseries Unlikely to Return for Third Season

The Netflix docuseries “Break Point,” which followed the lives of top tennis players on and off the court, is unlikely to return for a third season. The news comes as no surprise to players and former cast members, who have noticed the absence of the camera crew since the start of the 2024 season.

Aryna Sabalenka, whose rise to champion was captured in the first two seasons, expressed her disappointment, saying, “I enjoyed filming with them. They did a great job.” However, Casper Ruud, who was featured in the first season, was unimpressed with the final product and declined to participate in the second season.

Holger Rune, who appeared in the first season alongside Carlos Alcaraz, found the experience valuable, saying, “It could be disturbing, but they were very discreet.” Tommy Paul also appreciated the opportunity to share his story, which included his struggles with a “party phase.”

Despite the positive experiences of some players, the series faced criticism for its lack of access to top-ranked players like Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and the Williams sisters. Iga Swiatek, who participated in the first season, expressed dissatisfaction with her portrayal and declined to participate in the second season.

Fans also took issue with the editing of the series, particularly an episode that portrayed Daniil Medvedev as a villain. Medvedev famously said, “The series is not real life.” Daria Kasatkina, who has her own popular YouTube channel, criticized the series for its lack of authenticity.

“I watched the first season, and after I didn’t watch the second one,” Kasatkina said. “I don’t have to say anything. I did hear that the second season was better, but still, people who are in tennis and love tennis, know everything about it, if it didn’t catch them, then probably something was wrong.”

Despite the hopes of players and fans, “Break Point” failed to capture the same level of success as the Formula 1 docuseries “Drive to Survive.” Kasatkina believes that the series was unable to draw authentic moments from its cast.

“It’s unfortunate, because as tennis players, we had huge hopes for Break Point,” Kasatkina said. “After the Drive to Survive success, we were thinking, ‘Oh my God, it’s so cool. Now Netflix is coming to tennis and we’re going to explode and blow up. Everyone will start to play tennis, like they all got into chess after Queen’s Gambit.’ Unfortunately, it didn’t go the same way.”