Tennis has suffered a big blow this week, with Netflix’s Break Point having failed to be renewed for a third season.
The documentary, which detailed a behind-the-scenes look into a sport largely unappreciated by the masses, was expected to follow in the footsteps of Formula 1’s Drive to Survive.
However, with viewing figures disappointing, it clearly failed to hit the mark.
Sky Sports’ Gigi Salmon has since detailed her disappointment.
What Sky Sports’ Gigi Salmon said about Netflix’s Break Point
She would write, in her column for Sky Sports: ‘One thing we know for certain is that Halep won’t be featuring in the Netflix tennis documentary series Break Point after it was reported in The Times this week that production had stopped after just two seasons with poor viewing figures and a lack of access seemingly at the heart of their decision.
‘I watched some of season one but felt early on that it wasn’t meant for people who worked in tennis but more for those who were new to the sport, to try and bring them in. The trouble was not only did it fail to convince the biggest names in the sport to take part but it also glossed over or missed out altogether on some of the biggest storylines.
‘In some ways it does feel like a missed opportunity for tennis especially seeing the success of Drive to Survive which is six seasons in.’
A huge shame for tennis
Well, the term ‘missed opportunity’ sums this news up rather succinctly.
What a chance for tennis to elevate itself as a sport in the same way that Formula 1 has, and what a disappointing effort.
I, for one, actually quite enjoyed Break Point, as it offered a window into the personalities of players to whom I felt less attached.
As a tennis fan, it further solidified my long-held interest in the sport.
However, the differences between it and F1’s Drive to Survive were stark, as the latter was not afraid to strip things back to basics and admit that they were a series made mainly to entice a new audience.
Fans of the sport that were already there would have watched it regardless, so they knew they didn’t need to pander to them. The in-depth interviews and behind-the-scenes action were what drew them in, but they kept things simple and let the sport do the talking.
However, Break Point was convoluted, and seemed like it didn’t quite know what it wanted to be and who it wanted to appeal to.
As such, as the viewing figures suggested, it appealed to few.
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