Break Point

I love tennis, so I feel like this definitely could've been done better. I'm not entirely sure I liked the player focused episodes-I enjoy seeing how they prepare and overcome/deal with criticism and frustration, but if it had just been tour focused the ground covered could have been better. I know Drive to Survive has specific talking points and is sometimes driver focused, but it really makes you feel like F1 is this big great thing you want to be a part of-this is lacking on the tennis side. It's sort of like "A week in the lives of" instead of the ATP and WTA tour. The best episode was the one where the new kids are trying to figure out how to beat Rafa-and it only kept my interest high because, well, Rafa. Also, why is Maria Sharapova in this? Roddick does commentary, so I see how his points of view would be insightful-he knows a bit more about this next-gen class. Anyway, I'm obviously going to keep watching, but as I said-I love tennis, and even I was bored during some points of the show.

As a tennis fan I think it's important to show the inside of the sport which I think lacks access to the fans at times. Sport of more than about hitting a ball, it's about the history, the drama, the psychology and getting to know the players. A few of the players gave good access, I wish more would have done.

I was disappointed that the Novak drama in Australia was almost completely glossed over as that was the biggest tennis story of the year. A lot of the focus is on some of the up and coming players trying to make their big breakthroughs and this series was lucky enough to have access to some players having some big moments. For example, Nick Kyrgios gave access in what turned out to be a big breakthrough year for him in both singles and doubles. The series is definitely richer for that story despite a couple of reviewers crying about it and giving the whole series a low rating because of it. I think sport is a lot more boring without its characters.

This documentary gives a good balance between the male and female side of tennis, I do wish some of the bigger names were involved with this though, such as Roger, Rafa and Novak, along with some more of the legends of the sport. The contrast between the established at the top of the sport with the up and coming players with more of the input of the legends could have made with more compelling. Still, I enjoyed this so far and am looking forward to the next instalment in the Summer.

Honestly, this is the exact type of result I was hoping for when the series was announced.

Each player has a different personality, playing style, and the episode leans into the personality and reputation that each player already has, while adding enough alternate perspectives to satisfy any opinion that viewers might have.

The best aspect of the series is the behind-the-scenes look at the mental toll that tennis takes on players. Easily the most under appreciated part of the game for newcomers or casual watchers.

Overall, definitely worth the watch. An accurate portrayal of the complexity and diversity of the ATP tour.

The jump cuts are annoying and the cheerleading sycophantic background commentary can be cringeworthy at times. The series needs a toned-down perspective rather than the fanfare it injects into every situation. Instead, we get contrived setups of personal moments (especially with ditzy girlfriends) and a whole episode on Nick Kyrgios throwing tantrums because he's a "misunderstood" and "troubled" boy...Oh boohoo! Give us a break!

A more subtle perspective with unguarded moments in training, traveling and the struggle to stay on form...more honest fly-on-the-wall stuff. What makes the great players great? And why are so many of the younger players not at the same level as Federer, Nadal and Serena were at their age? We need a more honest exposé on behind-the-scenes tennis rather than the over-dramatic off-the-shelf formula it presents.

Similar to another review, for me it felt like season 2 seemed to have more coverage of the male players model girlfriends than coverage of the female tennis players.

I understand that we're seeing an insight into the players lives but the gratuitous coverage of the female partners, who didn't seem to bring much to the narrative and only seem to have been included if they fitted the correct Instagram profile, became quite tedious to me. So much so, that I was completely losing interest towards the end of the season.

I came here for the tennis, not the fame and celebrity status surrounding it.