Ajla Tomljanovic hits back at "Netflix curse" talk as tennis 'Break Point' documentary stars continue to fall early at Australian Open 2023
Ajla Tomljanovic expressed a bit of irritation with the "Netflix curse" as it has become a big talking point at the ongoing Australian Open. The Netflix curse is being used to highlight the early exits from the 2023 Australian Open for some of the top tennis players who were the stars in part 1 of Netflix's new tennis documentary Break Point.
The show, which was released just a couple of days before the start of the Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne, featured the likes of Matteo Berrettini, Casper Ruud, Ons Jabeur, Nick Kyrgios, Paula Badosa, and Tomljanovic, among others in part 1, all of whom have either made early exits or missed the 2023 Australian Open altogether due to injuries.
Their tough luck has given rise to the 'Netflix curse' term in tennis. As World No. 6 Maria Sakkari became the latest of the Netflix stars to experience an early loss in Melbourne on Friday, the tennis world was abuzz with talk of the curse yet again.
Zhu Lin, playing the 3rd round of a Slam for the first time, is... into the last 16, after beating #6 Maria Sakkari 7-6(3), 1-6, 6-4.
The Netflix curse is real. Only Felix Auger-Aliassime made the 2nd week in Melbourne. https://t.co/5gBKdoHDGq
Replying to the above tweet by journalist Jose Morgado, Tomljanovic urged the tennis community to stop hyping the Netflix curse, highlighting that losing is a natural part of sports.
"Can we stop with the Netflix curse lol…it’s just sports," Ajla Tomljanovic wrote in response.
@josemorgado Can we stop with the Netflix curse lol…it’s just sports 🤷🏻♀️
Among the stars in focus on Break Point, Kyrgios, Badosa, and Tomljanovic herself were unable to play even a single match at the 2023 Australian Open, having been forced to withdraw before the start of the tournament due to injuries. Meanwhile, Taylor Fritz, Sakkari, Berrettini, Jabeur, Ruud, and Thanasi Kokkinakis have all lost within the first three rounds of the tournament.
World No. 7 Felix Auger-Aliassime is the only player featured on the show to still be alive at the first Grand Slam tournament of the new season.
Ajla Tomljanovic's relationship with ex Matteo Berrettini and bond with Chris Evert highlighted on Netflix's Break Point
Ajla Tomljanovic's relationship with ex-boyfriend Matteo Berrettini and the duo's 2022 Australian Open run were in focus on the second episode of Part 1 of Netflix's tennis documentary Break Point. The episode highlights both the highs and lows of pro tennis, with Tomljanovic feeling really low and upset after bowing out in the first round against Paula Badosa, while Berrettini went on to reach the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.
It also shows some nice moments off the court between Tomljanovic and Berrettini, giving an insight into the lives of a tennis couple.
The Australian WTA star's bond with American tennis legend Chris Evert was also shown, with Evert revealing how she went on to become Tomljanovic's mentor.
“I remember meeting Ajla when she was 12 years old. And I saw a player that had potential. I grew very close to her and became like her mentor," Evert expressed.