Netflix's new Break Point series could be a game-changer for tennis

When the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Matteo Berrettini, Stefanos Tsitispas, Ons Jabeur and Taylor Fritz have been playing tennis wherever the sun is shining in the world, the Netflix crew have not been far behind.

There were more than a few grumbles from tournament organisers about their intrusive presence and desire to be given access to areas normally out-of-bounds for the media, but this show has the potential to be more important than most of the events on the tour.

Tennis needs to take itself to a new audience and Break Point, the Netflix series that peers behind the scenes at the ATP and WTA Tours and launches on January 13th looks set to do just that.

Formula 1 has been given a huge boost with a whole new set of fans thanks to the Drive To Survive series that proved to be such a hit and now tennis is set to be given the glossy movie treatment at a time when the sport is trying to reinvent itself.

Roger Federer, Serena Williams, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have done a lot of the sport's publicity over the last two decades as they have put tennis on the front and back pages of newspapers around the world.

Yet those four icons of the sport are either retired or entering the final chapters of their remarkable careers and that's why Break Point could not be arriving at a better moment for tennis.

The Australian Open, Indian Wells and Madrid Masters and the French Open will feature in the first batch of episodes next month, with the British summer events and the US Open part of the second batch.

And this is set to be a series that allows us to see inside the tennis world, offering a glimpse of the world only players normally get a chance to see.

As you would expect from a big-budget Netflix show, this is a glossy production that will paint the sport in a new light and highlight the personalities that are set to carry tennis for the next decade.

Those of us with a passion for tennis know all about the captivating character of Kyrgios, the inspirational story of Jabeur and the dashing presence of Berrettini.

Yet many outside of the tennis bubble will not be familiar with these stories and that is where this show has a huge role to play.

Tennis needs a publicity hit after a year that saw the end of the careers of Federer and Serena Williams, with Nadal offering broad hints that his days on the tour will end sooner rather than later.

Finding new heroes is a job for everyone in the sport, but Netflix has a global reach to recruit new followers to tennis and from a demographic the sport has been trying to attract for many years.

Traditionally, tennis events tend to be attended by more mature spectators who love the sport first and are happy to watch whoever happens to be playing that afternoon.

The Netflix fans will want something different, as they will be personality driven and keen to get to know Kyrgios and his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi.

A glimpse into the private lives of Italian heartthrob Berrettini will be captivating for youngster viewers, with romantic fireworks expected around the first of those two players in this series after his split with fellow player Ajla Tomljanovic.

Jabuer's inspirational story as the first Arab player to win major events on the WTA Tour also deserves to be heard by a bigger audience and amid the hype this show will generate, a new set of fans should be watching tennis through fresh eyes next year.

The Formula 1 version of this show sparked an interest in drivers and the sport in general that contributed to rising viewing figures and increased interest over the course of 2022.

If tennis can benefit from the same boost, this show could herald the start of a new era in tennis.