Thursday , March 28 2024

New Netflix Series’ Break Point’: Can the Tennis-based docuseries reach a similar success to its predecessor, Drive to Survive? 

New Netflix Series’ Break Point’: Can the Tennis-based docuseries reach a similar success to its predecessor, Drive to Survive? 

Netflix and the team responsible for the Formula One hit show, Drive to Survive return with another docuseries. But this time around, they’ve turned their attention to the tennis courts in hopes of creating a wealth of new fans for the sport. 

The all-new Netflix docuseries Break Point, which made its debut on the streaming platform earlier this month, follows the most talented and interesting characters on the ATP and WTA tours during the 2022 professional tennis calendar. 

It’s too soon to know if Break Point can emulate the global success of its predecessor, Drive to Survive. Still, suppose the producers continue to feature the behind-the-scenes access that became Drive to Survive’s key selling point. In that case, a lot of drama could potentially draw a significantly high viewership. 

Where there’s controversy, drama isn’t far behind, and these are the making of an excellent TV show. And for better or worse, the appearance of Aussie star Nick Kyrgios could attract viewers alone. 

Nick Kyrgios, one of the most polarizing figures in the sport, creates amazing moments on the court, but his eruptive behavior can dampen them. The player is known for yelling at anyone and everyone: from the umpire, the people in the player’s box, the fans, and even himself. Of course, Kyrgios is ideal for must-watch television, but it isn’t easy to believe the ATP wants him to be the face of the Netflix series, especially after he was charged with assaulting his partner last year. 

However, the series opened up with the Australian Open, as they utilized Kyrgios to highlight the difficult challenges of being a tennis player rising through the ranks: facing the likes of Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic, who own an incredible 63 Grand Slam titles between them. That said, since Federer was injured (Now retired), Djokovic was unable to compete due to Covid-19 protocol, and Nadal returned from a serious injury, the 2022 Aussie Open seemed like the perfect start for a local player to put their name on the map. 

It’s challenging for the Drive to Survive producers to know which competitors are worth following on any given race weekend, with twenty drivers split between two teams. So, imagine how difficult the decision-making for Break Point has been, with 256 players competing for the Grand Slam title (men and women). They did, however, seem to hit gold with Kyrgios, as he became a Grand Slam double’s champion alongside Thanasi Kokkinakis, as the Netflix crew was there for every moment. 

Netflix didn’t have household names to film during Break Point, as they did with Drive to Survive. They were forced to change the narrative to a quest for the next big thing. 

We can expect to see up-and-coming stars such as Spanish pro Paula Badosa Gilbert, a New York-born player with a personality worth filming. And since the legalization of New York sports betting last year, PointsBet New York promo codes will be well-utilized when the fans look closely at his talents. 

The show’s producers will be taking their gamble, and the comparisons to Drive to Survive will naturally emerge as they’re undoubtedly under immense pressure to deliver another hit show. 

Break Point: Drive to Survive comparisons 

“They’re different beasts, almost entirely.” Producer James Gay-Rees commented when discussing the comparisons between Formula 1: Drive to Survive and his latest show, Break Point.   

“I know they have a similar format, but that’s where the similarity ends.

“With Drive to Survive, ” I was talking to Netflix about this earlier – it’s a self-contained precinct. You know exactly what the shape is going to be week-in, week-out, exactly where each character is going to be – literally where they’re going to be standing. And it’s a team sport. 

“Tennis is just the opposite. Obviously, there’s a season, but not all the players play the same tournaments; they have different specialties, and it’s an individual sport. 

“It was incredibly good fun to make, but it was challenging in different ways.” 

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