13 January 2023 , 16:39
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There is hope that the Netflix series Break Point can help save tennis by boosting the popularity of the next generation of stars coming through.
Formula 1: Drive to Survive has seen interest in the sport soar and the same producers have turned their hand to tennis. Last year Roger Federer said an emotional farewell to tennis after a 23-year career during which he won 20 Grand Slam crowns. His amazing achievement have been matched by Novak Djokovic, aged 35, and Rafael Nadal who is one year older.
Nadal has won 22 Grand Slam titles - one more than Djokovic - with the pair set to resume battle at next week's Australian Open.
Roger Federer said an emotional farewell last year and Rafael Nadal could retire soon as well (Getty Images for Laver Cup)The retirement plans of Nadal are Djokovic are currently unknown with the Spaniard banning reporters from asking him about his future plans ahead of the first Grand Slam tournament of the season. In the last six years only three other players have broke their dominance by winning a major tournament - resulting in a problem that fans don't know much about other players in the sport.
However, the Break Point series could solve this as Nick Kyrgios, Paula Badosa, Casper Ruud and Maria Sakkari are just some of the names who give a detailed insight into their lives and thoughts when Netflix cameras followed them during the 2022 season. The Financial Times have said that F1 viewership went up 'nearly 50 per cent worldwide' since the Formula 1: Drive to Survive series began giving a similar inside into the sport.
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They also report that rights holder ESPN has gone from paying £4million annually to between £61.5m and £73.8m.
Rafael Nadal has banned reporters from asking him about retirement plans before Australian Open (AP)Micky Lawler, president of the Women’s Tennis Association hopes that Break Point has the same impact on the American market.
She told the Financial Times: “Americans tend to stand behind their teams, their athletes. So when you have American athletes leading the charge, the sport does very well. With Serena (Williams) retiring, she leaves a big void.
”No one knows whether lightning will strike a second time with Break Point but there is at least now a rod to catch it if it does. F1 was this new, shiny, sexy proposition that a lot of people got behind because of Drive to Survive. So I think Break Point will help us a lot in the US.”
Nick Kyrgios (left) says that the Break Point series is the "last hope" for tennis amid the impending retirement of Novak Djokovic (right), Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer (Mark Baker/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Kyrgios was the subject of this first Break Point episode titled The Maverick when he spoke about his anger problems on the court. He reiterated the view that the Netflix series could help boost the sport stating that the series was the “last hope” for tennis.
He added: "Obviously when Novak (Djokovic) and (Rafael) Nadal go as well as Roger (Federer). This Netflix (show) is kind of the last hope that tennis is going to be interesting globally on the map for a long, long time. We've got a lot of young personalities. I think the first episode is pretty exciting and I think it will keep people interested for sure."