Netflix cancels tennis docuseries Break Point after two seasons for two reasons

The second season of Netflix's tennis documentary series Break Point returned in January 2024. Produced by the same team behind Netflix's successful F1: Drive to Survive, Break Point appeared to be headed toward becoming another popular series on the streamer. Unfortunately for fans of the show, it won't be returning for a third season.

Netflix initially ordered Break Point to series in January 2022. The captivating sports doc followed professional tennis players throughout their participation in multiple Grand Slam tournaments. The streamer split the first 10-episode season into two, five-episode parts. The first sign of trouble seemed to be when Netflix only ordered six episodes for season 2.

Break Point season 1 was successful with critics, earning the Certified Fresh seal of approval from Rotten Tomatoes and an overall score of 81% based on 21 reviews.

Producers reportedly struggled to get access to leading players

Why was Break Point canceled? Deadline reports two separate reasons, one being that the viewership numbers were disappointing and nowhere near the ratings gained by F1: Drive to Survive, but perhaps the more significant issue is because producers reportedly faced repeated obstacles while trying to get in touch with the sport's most famous players.

The Times reported that production was stopped because producers were having to repeatedly seek approval of "agents before filming or speaking to players."

Fans and critics alike noted that the show's second season felt overproduced in some ways, leaning more into the PR aspect rather than compelling and realistic storytelling.

Notably, the series steered clear of controversial topics like defending champion Novak Djokovic's deportation from Australia in 2022 after his visa was canceled due to his refusal to adhere to the country's vaccination policies.

Season 2 also glaringly omits any mention of the domestic abuse allegations against German player Alexander Zverev, instead choosing to focus on his comeback after his ankle injury. The allegations aren't mentioned at all.

As The Independent notes, "If the producers ofBreak Point weren’t able to cover the allegations for legal reasons, perhaps that should have been enough of a hint to find another subject to focus on."

But given what The Times reported about the lack of producer access, it sounds like the team behind Break Point might have been stuck between a rock and a hard place on what they could actually cover related to the stars they did get access to.

Overall, it sounds like Break Point was facing too many hurdles to continue and without excellent viewership numbers to back it up, Netflix might no longer find the docuseries to be a worthwhile investment. The streamer hasn't yet made any official statement regarding Break Point's cancellation.

But it's not all bad news. Even though Break Point's time seems to be at an end, Netflix is gearing up for the seventh season of F1: Drive to Survive. Stay tuned to Netflix Life for more updates!