Netflix series: Now tennis is getting its “Drive to Survive”
Tennis fans can be happy: As it was announced on Friday, Netflix will now look behind the scenes of the ATP and WTA tours, based on the model of the Formula 1 series "Drive to Survive".
by tennisnet.com
last edit:
Jan 15, 2022, 12:03 pm
The beginning of 2022 could not have been better for the producers of the new Netflix documentation about the tennis circus: There is actually no more drama than Novak Djokovic's never-ending entry story to Australia. However, it is unlikely that the world number one let the cameras get as close to him during the difficult days in Melbourne as Günther Steiner, the extremely open-hearted team boss of the Haas Formula 1 racing team, permanently in "Drive to Survive". does.
This terrific series sets the example for what's in store for tennis fans: an unforgiving, behind-the-scenes look at their favorite sport. In the best case, this gaze is so deep that the protagonists forget that they are being followed by cameras. Incidentally, Netflix is planning something similar with the PGA Tour.
Concentration only on combined events?
In any case, the producers succeeded in one thing before the start of filming: to reconcile the various interest groups of the ATP, the WTA and the four Grand Slam tournaments. However, an identical transfer of the concept of “Drive to Survive” will probably not work. Because while in Formula 1 all the main actors are fully present on the race weekends, in the tennis circus this only applies to the weeks of the majors and some combined events such as Indian Wells, Miami, Madrid, Rome or Cincinnati.
So it will be exciting to see if the documentary is limited to these big events. Or whether smaller events such as the WTA tournament in Bad Homburg or the Generali Open in Kitzbühel are also shown in some form.