The curse of Netflix Break Point with only Maria Sakkari remaining, eight players lose out at Australian Open

Friday, 20 January 2023 at 01:00

The first five episodes of Break Point were highly commented in the last few days. Not just for the “behind-the-scenes” that the fans can see, almost the Netflix documentary follows several players from the ATP and WTA tour in training sessions, matches, with their families and friends.

There are ten players that we can see in the first five episodes, released on January 13, just before the start of the Australian Open. Precisely, the first Grand Slam of the year has left several surprises, and the "Break Point curse" has been commented on social networks, since 8 of the 10 players who participated in the television show have not been able to overcome the first two rounds.

There are different reasons: both best ranked players from Australia (Kyrgios and Tomjlanovic), drop out before the start of the tournament, and were joined by the Spanish Paula Badosa, who’ll leave the top 15 next week.

In the first round there was another surprise, with former No. 1 Andy Murray, who hadn’t got a victory over a top-20 since 2017. However, the second round left even more victims. The second seed in the tournament, Casper Ruud was dumped out of the tournament by an impressive Jenson Brooksby, also Taylor Fritz was defeated in five sets by the local Popyrin.

Australian Open 2022 doubles winner Thanasi Kokkinakis was also eliminated, in an epic match against the five-times finalist Murray, in almost 6 hours on the court. The Tunisian Ons Jabeur, second seed in the tournament, was also surprisingly knocked out in three sets by Vondruosova, in a bad day for the African.

In this way, only two players are still alive: the Canadian Felix Auger Aliassime, and the Greek Maria Sakkari.In the third round, the sixth seed will face the Chinese Lin Zhu (87th), while Felix will have an important challenge against the Argentinean and 28th seed Francisco Cerundolo.

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Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist

Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.

His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.

In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.

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