- The documentary titled ‘Break Point’ flopped a big one with viewership falling short of expectations
- Viewership hours were lower than expected with data showing Break Point’s first Season garnered only 30.5 million hours
- Compared to other sports documentaries, such as Formula One ‘Drive to Survive’, Break Point was a major fail
Iga Swiatek Netflix tennis documentary stalemate finally came out in the open after refusing to participate in its second season.
The documentary titled ‘Break Point’ flopped a big one with viewership falling short of expectations. It wasn’t a top performer and it ranked 617th-best TV show in 2023.
Viewership hours were lower than expected with data showing the Break Point’s first Season garnered only 30.5 million hours.
Compared to other sports documentaries, such as Formula One ‘Drive to Survive’, Break Point was a major fail.
Iga Swiatek Netflix Tennis Documentary Stalemate
Following her presence in Season 1 of Break Point, Swiatek claims she and her staff received “hateful” remarks. Thus, she declined to participate in the second season of the Netflix tennis documentary.
The four-time Grand Slam champion was captured in one episode of Season 1 and her journey to win the US Open in 2022. She appeared alongside her sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz at a hair salon.
Iga Swiatek. Photo/FirstSportz
Abramowicz in this episode remarked that Swiatek needed her hair trimmed so that she could tie it back up. This was in response to the hairdresser’s question about what kind of haircut she would want.
Swiatek interjected saying that she refuses to sacrifice her hair to tennis and the scene pans to Abramowicz simply staring at Swiatek without saying anything.
Abramowicz received a lot of negative criticism, and anger after that episode with some even urging Swiatek to fire her.
Swiatek vehemently defended Abramowicz last year, claiming that the circumstances were misunderstood. She said that her response to Abramowicz was sarcastic, and that her doctor only had her best interests in mind.
Speaking at the sidelines of the Indian Wells, the Pole said that she felt attacked and did not have the stomach for the documentary’s second season.
“I was involved only in Season 1, and I gotta say that it was kind of a test for me if I’m going to be comfortable talking about my life and, like, opening up so much. But, well, I think it was a great idea, but I think we have, you know, many different and complicated stories that it’s hard to, like, describe them in a couple of episodes, you know.
“My appearance in this series kind of caused some hate towards me and my team. So I just wanted to, you know, live my life peacefully and do my job, so that’s why I didn’t get into the second season,” she explained.
Iga Swiatek Indian Wells Performance So Far
While Break Point seemed to be part of a larger Netflix strategy to attract new viewers to tennis, Swiatek has since moved on.
Iga Swiatek. Photo by Forbes
She is currently playing at the BNP Paribas Open where she advanced to the fourth round after defeating Czech teen player Linda Noskova.
Swiatek, 22, trailed behind 6-2 in the opening set and had three break points in a crucial seventh game. However, she won 10 straight games after that to win 6-4, 6-0.
Noskova, 19, stunned Swiatek in the Australian Open third round in January after coming back from a set down. She appeared to be in complete control when she led 15-40 on her opponent’s serve while she was already up 4-2 in the opening set.
However, Swiatek came back with devastating force, winning the second set in just 28 minutes after fighting back to win the first.
She will now square it out with Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan. The latter will take on Swiatek in the round of 16. This is Swiatek’s 22nd time accomplishing the feat.
Throughout WTA history, she accounts for 11% of all sets won 6-0 in WTA 1,000 competitions. On the other hand, Putintseva, defeated American Madison Keys in straight sets, 6-4 6-1 to proceed to the fourth round.
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