‘Break Point’, the series that gets into the intimacy of tennis and talks about depression, egos, success and addictions

It is checked: ‘F1: Drive To Survive’ was (is) a documentary series (on the Netflix platform) that helped the highest category of motorsports to strengthen its brand and its diffusion, which directly collaborated to attract new audiences and strengthened the business worldwide. Attracted by this phenomenon, the world of professional tennis insightfully rode the wave and understood that making a film product with certain similar nuances (and even with the same production company, Box To Box Films) could be a good strategy to impress the millions of fans who already have the sport of rackets and, above all, seduce a new audience with endless content offers. This Friday, also on Netflix, the first five episodes of ‘Break Point’a series that goes behind the scenes of elite tennis.

“This is the reality of tennis at the highest level. You have to win. Mentally you can not be misled for a moment. You can’t be irregular. You can’t have a bad day. You can not”. The description, one of those that thunders in the first episode, belongs to Andy Roddick, an extraordinary retired player who reached the top of the ranking in 2003 and won 32 titles (including a Grand Slam), but was still frustrated. for being a contemporary of a legend like Roger Federer. In the sense of the American’s phrase, much of the effect of the series is supported, which will premiere just before the Australian Open (it begins on Sunday night in Argentina) and will have five more episodes in June. Access to restricted places reveals ferocity that many times has the circuit and that the psychological aspect is practically the most important thing. It is often said colloquially that the “mind” is the most important muscle of the tennis player. And it is very real.

“It’s a drug. This sport is a drug. Winning big tournaments and matches is addictive.”recognizes the Spanish Paula Badosa, current 11th in the world and former 2nd, in the second episode. The 25-year-old was the junior champion at Roland Garros in 2015 and was labeled “the new Maria Sharapova”, a comparison that filled her with pressure and affected her. She was one of the first to speak about “depression” and she sought professional help (this whole process is deepened in the documentary). “If they see social networks they can believe that my life is perfect and it is not. Of course I am living a dream, but at the same time it is not easy to manage the expectations and the pressure”, argues Badosa, who suffered mental “blocks”. And she points out, more mature and balanced: “Many people do not talk about it because it seems that they are going to be weak, but I think it is the opposite. We have to talk about it.”

Kyrgios’ drama with alcohol and party nights

The Australian Open, Indian Wells, Madrid and Roland Garros are the tournaments in which the series (shared by the ATP and the WTA, the organizations that manage both circuits) enters during the first five chapters; then Wimbledon, the US Open and the Masters tournament will come, among others. Especially in the first episode. Nick Kyrgios He is the great protagonist. The Australian who has the talent to beat anyone, but sabotages himself like no one else, is followed everywhere by cameras during the Grand Slam aussie 2022. Everything begins with a severe crisis (elimination in the second round of singles) and ends with a dream come true (winning the doubles title, teaming up with his compatriot and friend from youth days, Thanasi Kokkinakis).

With acting flair, but ultimately brutal honesty, Kyrgios talks about his dark times. “The first four or five years of my career were very chaotic. when horse [Horsfall; su agente] he was on tour with me taking care of me, when basically only he took care of me, I could see my mental health declining every week. My life was out of control: I drank every night.”confesses Kyrgios, currently 21st in the ranking and a professional since 2013.

Horsfall describes those times for Kyrgios as “difficult” and that on several occasions he had to go out looking for him after long nights. “I used to have your location on my phone and some mornings I would physically search where you were, what hotel you were in, what house you were staying in before tournaments, before a game. That was hard, ”his representative reminds the tennis player.

One of the most intimate moments occurs in Canberra, the city where Kyrgios was born. “I worry about him every day. Every day. He’s been through some sad things,” Norlaila, Nick’s mom, whispers, holding a broken racket from her son as she sits on the bed in his room.

Kyrgios, who reached the Wimbledon final last year (lost to Novak Djokovic), acknowledges that the event that launched his career occurred on Center Court at the All England. It was in 2014, when he was number 144 in the world and he defeated Rafael Nadal (at that time, 1st), in the round of 8.

It was known that some players would be more receptive to this project than others. In particular, the Big 3 (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) and Serena Williams were less interested in being followed by camera crews. That prompted creators to focus on other, younger faces. Thus, in addition to Badosa and Kyrgios, Felix Auger-Aliassime (Canada), Matteo Berrettini (Italy), Taylor Fritz (USA), Casper Ruud (Norway), Frances Tiafoe (USA) star in the first five episodes. .) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece), among the men, Ons Jabeur (Tunisia), Maria Sakkari (Greece), Sloane Stephens (USA), Iga Swiatek (Poland) and the Australian Ajla Tomljanovic (one of the most place has), among women.

There are images in changing rooms and messy hotel rooms. Passion, anger, rage, frustration, euphoria, panic, happiness… are states of mind that elite tennis players experience all the time. All this is observed in first person. Too the complicity -sometimes, somewhat toxic- of the players with their coaches, agents, family members and sponsors is exposed. Pressure management is appreciated; In short, the two sides of the coin. Commercial and media commitments are shown. The documentary, at times, does not have the same fire as that of Formula 1, where they take less care when it comes to expressing themselves and seem to be more explosive and controversial. It is often said that tennis is an individual sport and very lonely, but in ‘Break Point’ It also shows the (enormous) influence of the team members, many of them quite nourished (coach, physical trainer, psychologist, physiotherapist, nutritionist, etc…).

In addition to the intimacy in Canberra, the images of Berrettini eating with his relatives in Rome and of Jabeur, with his parents, in Ksar Hellal, have a special value. Jabeur, number 2 in the world, broke customs and became an inspiration for Arab and African countries.

“The fear of losing has to do with the ego. The greatest players in history are not afraid. They just think they are going to do it. They are not afraid of falling”, says the American Paul Annacone, who knew how to train Pete Sampras and Federer, and during the documentary he accompanies Fritz. “If you don’t win tournaments you are a loser every week. That’s why I think tennis is so brutal, in a way. Everything goes on, with or without you”, shoots Tomljanovic, in a concept as cruel as it is real. In each tennis tournament he only wins one.

“What is my biggest fear? Fail,” admits Sakkari. “I always remember that dad told us: you have to eat tennis, drink tennis, dream of tennis and shit tennis,” smiles Malika, Auger-Aliassime’s sister, during a scene in Paris. In that French Open, the match for the 8th final took place between Nadal and the Canadian, at the time trained by Toni Nadal, Rafa’s uncle and trainer: what happens there, with Toni’s decision about his presence or not in the court Philippe Chatrier, is another of the rich scenes of intimacy. Ruud’s discussion with the Roland Garros pitchers who cover the court with a tarp during a training session due to a light drizzle, is another gem.

The official trailer for ‘Break Point’

“It took us months to learn what the crucial moments really are, the ones you don’t want to miss. At some tournaments we had two or three cameras and we tried to film specific people. At the Grand Slams, we had four or five cameras every day and people we wanted to follow, win or lose (…) In the end, I think we made five times more footage than we had for ‘Drive To Survive’” , told the showrunner of the project, Kari Lia. The executive producers are James Gay-Rees and Paul Martin, the same as the F1 series released in 2019 and with four seasons.

Attractively shot and edited, presented in no complete chronological order, ‘Break Point’ does a very good job presenting and analyzing mental battles of tennis players. And it is clear that, many times, the players themselves are their worst enemies inside -and also outside- the court.

THE NATION