On Jan. 13, Netflix released “Break Point,” a tennis docudrama that follows the lives of the next generation of top tennis players on the global tour. “Break Point” is produced and made by the team that created “F1: Drive to Survive,” a wildly popular series that shows the ins and outs of some of the fastest cars on Earth. However, tennis cannot compare to the thrill of Formula 1. 

The style of tennis and the way tennis is played does not mix well with the documentary style, focusing on the drama of the sport. Tennis is a technical sport, where the greatest drama, thrill and excitement happens in the athlete’s brain and it’s really hard to translate that onto the screen for viewers. Also, in Formula 1, a lot of the behind-the-scenes and drama comes from drivers transferring teams, creating new better race cars each season, and watching the 12 teams battle one another and battle themselves internally. This team aspect and team competition in Formula 1 is non-existent in tennis, where the player fights individually and really controls everything by themselves. 

With that in mind, “Break Point” is really suited towards avid fans of tennis. “Break Point” allows footage and direct interviews and access that is hardly ever seen. It also allows fans to truly understand the struggles and the training that goes into playing your very best, and competing on the world stage. 

Overall, “Break Point” is a must-watch for tennis fans, but I would not recommend it to anyone who is not fascinated by tennis, as it lacks the excitement and thrill of “F1: Drive to Survive.” It is certainly a dramatic and fascinating look into the daily lives of tennis players on the tour and provides a new light and perspective to professional tennis, but it’s not as action-packed as the Formula 1 series. 

On this blog, members of the Carmel High School chapter of the Quill and Scroll International Honorary Society for High School Journalists (and the occasional guest writer) produce curations of all facets of popular culture, from TV shows to music to novels to technology. We hope our readers always leave with something new to muse over. Click here to read more from MUSE.