I wasn’t planning on writing about this show. It’s the second season of a show I have already written about and enjoyed. I didn’t think I really had much to say about this new season. And I guess I still don’t have much to say, but enough thoughts to warrant a short post. 

I just think this show is so fascinating. Maybe if you aren’t a tennis fan, it wouldn’t be as interesting to you. But, for me, I love the look inside all aspects of the sport: the players, the tournaments, the events, everything. I love seeing the players all watching the other matches on TV and reacting in real time. I love seeing them talk and joke with each other in the gym and locker rooms and at events. Seeing them all be human off the court is what the show is all about.

The main draw for me is learning about these players as people. Not only do we get to hear their stories and background and follow their journeys, but we also get to see their personalities which often don’t get a chance to come across while watching a tennis match. While personality type ranges from player to player, the one thing they all share is an insane competitive drive. Of course they do. They wouldn’t be playing on this level if they didn’t have that. But I love seeing how that manifests differently in each player. They all handle the pressure and the fame and the competition and the winning and losing differently. Again, it might be the psychology major in me, but the show, intentionally or not, is a compelling psychological exploration of athletes. Knowing these players on a personal level will definitely change the way I look at them when I watch them play in the future. 

The show also presents all of these real-life storylines most people wouldn’t know about. While the first season was more introductory to the sport and the players, the big theme of this season seems to be expectation. Now we know most of the players. They’re at the top of their game. What are they going to do with it? It seems easier to be an up-and-comer than to be a top player because you have nothing to lose. There are no expectations on you. But as a top-ranked player, you’re expected to win. 

We also get more of a look at the dynamics between players. Some are friends. Some are enemies. It’s so crazy to me that any of these people could be even remotely friends when they are constantly competing directly against each other for the same titles. But many of them have grown up playing against and with these same people. They’ve known them forever. And being actively on the tour, these are the people you see most in the world. It’s probably better to have good relationships with them so you can try to enjoy yourself as much as possible. 

In the enemies camp, one specific dynamic featured is Zverev vs. Medvedev. I found this episode particularly captivating since neither player had been on the show last season so I learned a lot. But I have since found out that some people are unhappy with the “villain edit” Medvedev received. The show definitely exaggerates to make the stories more interesting and dramatic, but I also don’t think they made something out of nothing. That being said, I’m sure every player has done some things during matches that could make them seem like “the villain”. It’s all about how it fits into the narrative of that moment. This is a TV show after all.

The other complaint about that episode is about the depiction of Zverev. I wouldn’t say he necessarily comes off as a “good person” (a lot of these players have large egos which I also think comes with the territory), but the episode shows him overcoming some struggles and makes you want to root for him in a way. But many have protested that what the episode does not include is any mention of the domestic violence charges against Zverev. That was also an issue in the first season with the depiction of Kyrgios. On the one hand, this show is not trying to do investigative journalism or paint anyone in a bad light, but, on the other, it then begs the question, why choose to feature those players? I honestly don’t know what the right answer is there but I don’t necessarily think enjoying this television show means condoning any of the terrible things some of these people may or may not have done. But I also understand how blurring the lines between the real human beings and their “TV characters” can be influential when it comes to public perception and that might not be a good thing in this case.

Ultimately, I really loved this show. I think the timing of this season is perfect as it aligns with the start of the 2024 tennis season. It sets us up perfectly to be caught up with the storylines of last season of tennis, to see where we left off, and what to expect this year. I hope we get more of this show in the future and I’m excited to watch these players compete this year!

2024 Count: 2 seasons, 3 movies

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