What to Know Before Watching Netflix’s Tennis Docuseries ‘Break Point’

Let’s take a look back at some of the biggest headlines from the first half of the 2022 season.

The first five episodes of Netflix’s new tennis docuseries Break Point will be released on Friday, Jan. 13.

The docuseries will cover various players’ journeys through the 2022 season, starting with the Australian Open. The first five episodes will show all the action up through the French Open, which marked halfway through the season. The final five episodes premiere in June and will focus on Wimbledon, Eastbourne, Queens, the U.S. Open, the WTA Finals and the ATP Finals.

The new show will mimic fan-favorite Formula 1: Drive to Survive, which first premiered back in 2019. DTS gives a behind-the-scenes look at the pinnacle of motorsport as crews follow drivers and teams throughout the season, capturing the action and storylines emerging on and off the track.

Although Break Point will be following more of the up-and-coming stars on the ATP and WTA tours, topics from around the tennis world will be covered throughout the series.

Roger, Rafa, Serena, Novak. Who will take their place?

Filmed over one year, the team behind F1: Drive to Survive follows top tennis players around the world as they compete in @atptour & @WTA tournaments in an attempt to become #1.

Break Point premieres January 13. pic.twitter.com/HGW4WDlWG4

— Netflix (@netflix) January 6, 2023

In case you need a reminder of what went down from January to June in tennis last year, here’s a look back at some of the biggest headlines.

Novak Djokovic’s deportation ahead of the Australian Open

The 2022 season started with one of the biggest tennis controversies in recent years when Novak Djokovic was deported from the country ahead of the Australian Open due to his vaccination status. At that time, the country required travelers to be vaccinated, and Djokovic refused to comply.

The situation became complicated because Serbian star was able to earn a medical exemption ahead of the year’s first grand slam, only for his visa to be turned down when he arrived in Australia. He then waited in his hotel room for a few days for an appeal to be heard, but was eventually deported and dealt a three-year ban from the country. The ban didn’t hold up, though, as he received a visa to play in the 2023 tournament.

While Djokovic isn’t one of the players interviewed in Break Point, the show will likely discuss how this news impacted the rest of the playing field.

Djokovic’s year began without an appearance at the Australian Open :: Patrick Hamilton/IMAGO/Belga

Rafael Nadal breaking the men’s tennis Grand Slam title record

Rafael Nadal etched his name into the tennis history books for good after winning both the Australian Open and French Open in 2022 to officially hold the Grand Slam men’s singles record with 22 titles. 

The Spaniard had one of the best starts to his career in 2022 when he cruised to a 20-match winning streak. Although Nadal had some injury issues in the second half of the year, the former World No. 1 dominated the first half.

Like Djokovic, Nadal is not expected to be interviewed in Break Point, but he will be a central character as some of the young players, including Casper Ruud and Felix Auger-Aliassime, attempt to crash his winning party.

Nick Kyrgios’s breakout season

While some of Kyrgios’s biggest moments came in the second half of the season, the Australian started out his season winning the 2022 Australian Open men’s doubles title with teammate Thanasi Kokkinakis. The first episode of Break Point will follow this doubles team throughout the first Grand Slam of the season.

One of the recurring storylines involving Kyrgios last season was the fines he picked up for his actions on the court. His first, and heftiest came at the Miami Open where he owed $35,000 on four offenses, including verbal abuse, audible obscenity and unsportsmanlike conduct.

Even though Kyrgios has coined the nickname the “Bad Boy” of tennis, the 27-year-old gave his raw, unfiltered perspective his own mental health struggles after winning the Australian Open title. He opened up about having suicidal thoughts a few years prior and discussed his alcohol and drug abuse. Kyrgios became a champion for people on and off the court, and the docuseries may highlight more of his personal thoughts.

Kyrgios has never shied away from showing his emotions, both on the court and with media :: Chris Putnam/IMAGO/Zuma Wire

The Russian invasion of Ukraine

When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the tennis world felt the ripple effects. Russian players, such as Andrey Rublev and Daniil Medvedev, promoted peace during multiple matches shortly after the invasion. One Ukrainian player, Dayana Yastremska, was forced to flea her home country with her sister, and then went on to play a tournament right away.

Other players found ways to support the Ukrainian efforts by donating money. Three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray pledged to donate all his season earnings to Ukrainian UNICEF aid, for example.

While most the tennis world seemed to come together during this time, it was the news in April of Wimbledon’s decision to ban Russian and Belarusian players from the 2022 tournament that greatly impacted the sport. The ATP and WTA did not agree with the Grand Slam tournament’s choice, so they decided to strip the event of any rankings points. This brought forth one of the most tumultuous weeks of the season.

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American Taylor Fritz makes a name for himself

The highest-ranked American player broke through in the 2022 season, starting in March when he snapped Nadal’s 20-match winning streak in the Indian Wells finals. This tournament will highlight the third episode of Break Point.

At 25 years old, Fritz isn’t new to the tennis scene by any means, but the 2022 season was a turning point for his career. While more of his success came in the second half of the season, Fritz’s Indian Wells title, which is often seen as the fifth tennis major, launched his continued success.

Fritz was all smiles after taking home the title at Indian Wells :: Antoine Couvercelle/Panoramic

Ashleigh Barty retires from tennis at age 25

World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty shocked the world on March 22 when she announced her retirement from tennis at just 25 years old. She was arguably at the top of her game as she was coming off her third Grand Slam title at the 2022 Australian Open. But, the Australian was ready to be done with her professional career.

With the top player in the world retired, this allowed other women tennis players a chance to rise up the rankings and make a name for themselves. Some of these up and coming women will be highlighted in the first five episodes of Break Point, including Ons Jabeur, Ajla Tomljanović, Maria Sakkari and Paula Badosa.