Felix Auger-Aliassime’s fourth-round defeat at the Australian Open has left Netflix’s tennis documentary Break Point without any of its featured stars progressing to the tournament’s second week.
This has led to speculation about a “Netflix curse,” as players featured in the series have exited the tournament in quick succession. Auger-Aliassime, the sixth seed, fell to Czech underdog Jiri Lehecka with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (2-7), 6-7 (3-7).
The documentary, which aims to spotlight the sport’s younger talent and their potential to fill the shoes of retiring legends like Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Serena Williams, premiered earlier this month.
Other players from the series who have been eliminated include Maria Sakkari, Taylor Fritz, Casper Ruud, Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur, and Thanasi Kokkinakis. Additionally, Nick Kyrgios, Ajla Tomljanovic, and Paula Badosa withdrew before the tournament began due to injuries.
Auger-Aliassime dismissed the idea of a curse, describing it as “funny” and not something he believes is connected to the players’ performances. The hashtag #NetflixCurse has been trending on Twitter, with many claiming the curse is complete following his exit.
Netflix’s UK & Ireland Twitter account addressed the speculation, tweeting: “To clarify: this is purely a coincidence,” in response to the curse talk.