The Australian Open kicked off on January 16 and there’s already been Nick Kyrgios-related disappointment, six-hour matches, and pee-related controversy. And tennis fans reckon another big story to comes out of 2023’s Australian Open is the Netflix curse.
What is that, you ask? Well ICYMI Netflix launched a docuseries on January 13 called Break Point.
From the genius minds behind Netflix’s epic Formula 1 series Drive to Survive, the show explores the BTS lives of several pro tennis players.
Fans have noticed that the people who appeared in Break Point are, uh, not faring too well at the Australian Open. And they’re calling it the Netflix curse.
10 players are featured in the first five episodes of the Netflix series. Three players — Nick Kyrgios, Paula Badosa, and Ajla Tomljanović — pulled out before the Australian Open even started due to injury.
Six more have failed to reach the second week of the tournament. See? Netflix curse!
And these Break Point players are used to winning, with some of them ranked in the top 10. World no. 2 Ons Jabeur crashed out against Markéta Vondroušová, world no. 3 Casper Ruud was defeated by Jenson Brooksby and world no. 9 Taylor Fritz lost in five sets to Alexei Popyrin.
Meanwhile, world no. 14 and Break Point star Matteo Berrettini lost in five sets to Andy Murray, who took out Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis (also featured in Break Point) in that six-hour second round epic.
The sixth Break Point star to suffer a shock (potentially Netflix curse-induced) loss was sixth seed Maria Sakkari, who lost on Friday night.
In fact, only ONE player from the entire cast still remains: Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Who I’m sure is not sweating at all right now.
Fans are now in full belief that a Netflix curse exists, and it won’t rest until every Break Point cast member is gone.
The Netflix curse continues!!!
Maria Sakkari is out and Felix Auger-Aliassime is the only Nextflix star left in the #AusOpen draw 😮 pic.twitter.com/RhTtzaofi5
— Luigi Gatto (@gigicat7_) January 20, 2023
And Then There Was One.#NetflixCurse pic.twitter.com/CY0nqDMceg
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) January 20, 2023
therapist: the netflix curse is not real it can’t hurt you
the netflix curse: pic.twitter.com/5oH1r2vefF
— PBB | tsitsidosa CONVERT (@baetencourt) January 19, 2023
Last one standing, better hit the books! 📚
Will @felixtennis solve the Netflix curse? #AusOpen pic.twitter.com/GiKI2FlSd3
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) January 20, 2023
https://twitter.com/BelleBienne/status/1615223088878178304
https://twitter.com/samstennnis/status/1616182996582678566
Even Netflix felt the need to weigh in.
To clarify: this is purely a coincidence… 🙄 https://t.co/5bTgimuH94
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 19, 2023
Uh-huh. Whatever you say, Netflix.
Either way, some folks believe last man standing Auger-Aliassime has what it takes to break it.
The Netflix curse :
Félix Auger-Aliassime : NOT TODAY 💥
pic.twitter.com/f1oTfba5vb— Tennis Canada (@TennisCanada) January 20, 2023
Auger-Aliassime actually LAUGHED about the Netflix curse when reporters asked him about it, which was probably a stupid thing to do. Don’t piss off the curse, mate!
“I was aware that players were losing, I’d see players were losing, but it didn’t cross my mind until [my girlfriend] showed me the [Netflix curse] thing this morning. I thought it was funny,” he said.
Guess we’ll see who has the last laugh when Auger-Aliassime takes on Jiri Lehecka in his fourth-round match on Sunday.
