‘Break Point’ changes the game
The new Netflix docuseries “Break Point” is about the most advanced tennis players in the world, but this show is good for the beginner tennis fan. Whether you have watched tennis since you were a kid or only know the name Serena Williams, this series can appeal to anyone. The first five episodes of the ten episode series were released on Jan. 13. They give an in-depth look into a handful of highly ranked athletes as they travel around the world competing for major tournament victories.
This show was made by the same creators of “Formula 1: Drive to Survive,” a documentary that introduced a sport and its leading competitors to the world in an unprecedented format. “Break Point” follows the same formula as “Drive to Survive” as it focuses on the sport’s most notable players. Players such as Matteo Berrettini, Taylor Fritz, Maria Sakkari and Paula Badosa were given the spotlight in various episodes. Instead of simply stringing together a highlight reel, these shows focus on athletes’ lives off of the court. Specifically, the mental barriers and consistent training needed to even step on these courts.
“Break Point” navigates around name dropping tennis legends like Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic. With a few exceptions, the names focused on in this series are those climbing world rankings and in the process of building a name for themselves.
Yet the fight for notability is candidly portrayed as a lonely experience. Tennis is an utterly solitary sport as the athlete has no team to lean on, hide behind or even be the star of. The burden of loss, elation of victory and everything in between is experienced solely by the player with millions of eyes on them.
With a different athlete spotlighted in every episode, there are an array of personalities shown. In episode one, the attention fell on Australian player, Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios, as well as any person close to him, will attest to the fact that who he is on the court is very different from who he is off of it. Many of the athletes show that they all possess a split personality depending on setting. There is an apparent juxtaposition of personas, creating a layered internal dynamic that sends media into a frenzy. Getting to see the mental aspect of sports and watching an unintentional deep dive into the psychologies of the athletes made this show an absolutely captivating watch.
With every episode I found myself rooting for a new protagonist. Each player is there because they have not accomplished everything they set out to do, striving to obtain elusive titles and spots in rankings.
The pressure placed on these athletes serves as a fine line between serving as a motivation and a deterrent. There is an indescribable amount of pressure on an athlete when they are in the process of making a name for themselves, but even more so when they defend the name they so proudly built. Defending a reputation and fortifying a legacy is a grueling task, but as the athletes demonstrated in “Break Point,” this process is also absolutely addicting.
“Break Point” captured the fascinating mental struggle athletes navigate. It candidly answers the question of, “when your entire identity revolves around one thing, what happens when you are not the best?”
If you are an avid tennis fan, then you would understand the intricacies of the sport better than I ever could watching this. However, after watching all five episodes, it is apparent that “Break Point” was constructed for the viewer who doesn’t know what’s coming. That suspense kept stringing me along throughout the show. I would imagine watching “Break Point” as an avid tennis fan would feel the same as watching a movie after already looking up the spoilers.