SUMMARY
- The alleged Netflix Curse struck a number of players at the Australian Open last year.
- With the tournament set to begin, are the players wary of it?
Tennis is a tough sport and has often caused much heartbreak for players and fans alike. 2023 was off to a rough start, as the Australian Open witnessed one of the worst carnages ever. Many attributed it to the “Netflix Curse” for starring in the documentary Break Point. While there can be no smoke without fire, is the alleged curse real?
Netflix released Break Point in January 2023. The documentary follows some of the most exciting players on tour as they swing for glory. Season one became a big hit with viewers, which led the streaming giant to renew it for a second season. However, the players who participated in the first season suffered unforeseen consequences.
Fans on social media came up with the term, which gained popularity as time passed. While it was lighthearted, many realized that every single player to star in the show crashed out of the tournament early. Stars like Casper Ruud, Ons Jabeur, Matteo Berrettinni, and a host of other players faced early exits.
To clarify: this is purely a coincidence… 🙄 https://t.co/5bTgimuH94
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 19, 2023
Given the unfortunate coincidence between the two, the Netflix curse theory gained momentum online. One of the other players to suffer was Maria Sakkari.
It has been a year since, and Sakkari is currently in Australia for the first Grand Slam of the year. At a press conference, she was confronted with a question about the curse since she stars in the second season. While Maria had never heard of the term, she mentioned that bad luck comes if one lets such intrusive thoughts win.
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Maria Sakkari will hope to kick off her campaign at the Australian Open with a win. While the first season of the show may have brought bad luck, it did not affect everyone.
Who managed to break the curse at the Australian Open?
The alleged Netflix curse hit Nick Kyrgios and Ajla Tomljanovic the hardest, as they had to sit out of the event. Kyrgios ended up being sidelined for the entirety of the year, and a cloud of uncertainty still looms over his return. Only Aryna Sabalenka seemed immune to the Netflix curse.
Sabalenka enjoyed a dominant run of form in 2023, as she won her maiden Grand Slam in Melbourne. She went on to be one of the most consistent performers last season. The Belarusian star even came close to winning her second major title but could not. Break Point leaned into Sabalenka’s story of overcoming it in the second season.
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) January 10, 2024
Aryna has started off the new season by making it to the finals of the Brisbane International. All eyes will be on her at the Australian Open as the defending champion this year. Aryna broke the curse once; can she do it again? The tournament begins on January 14.