02x01 - The Curse

[bunniefuu]

[commentator] That's a huge moment...

[man 1] We're always looking for heroes.

[man 2] This is where stars are born.

Where you're playing
for tennis immortality.

- Let's go.
- [Tiafoe] Walking out...

Get it.

...it's a big moment.

This is where it counts.

[commentator] Incredible drama.

We're back and bigger than ever.

With some unbelievable tennis.

[Sakkari] Finally, I have this chance
to do something special.

[Alcaraz, in Spanish]
Playing aggressive. This is my style.

[Holger, in English] I could be
the next big thing.

[Sascha] I have unfinished business.
I know I can do it.

[Fritz] There is definitely
a target on my back.

[Tiafoe] It's k*ll or be k*lled.

[Sabalenka] I'm super close to my dream
and I'm not gonna miss this opportunity.

- [crowd gasps]
- Wow.

2023 is a massive season.

Oh, my God! Frances Tiafoe! Big Foe!

[all laughing]

- He's so cute. He is.
- God.

It's like a sorority here.

[Pegula] You guys want to win
a Super Bowl. I want to win a Grand Slam.

But trying to be great is f*cking hard.

- Look at her.
- [Sabalenka] I'm Barbie.

It doesn't look bad, no?

Am I one of the young ones?

- [woman] Yes, you are.
- Oh, wow, I'll take that. [laughs]

I feel I can win the tournament.

[commentator 1] That's so good.

[commentator 2] Oh, it's sublime.

[commentator 3] These players are ready
to take the next step up and beyond.

Now the young generation comes.

[man] This might be his big opportunity.

They want to get a scalp,
it ain't happening.

[man] We've had so many amazing
tennis rivalries in the past 20 years.

Now we're moving into an era
where new rivalries have to develop.

[roars]

[Alcaraz, in Spanish]
I know we'll have battles.

[Pegula] You do need
to get really bitchy, ruthless.

Stop it. I'm gonna get angry.

Can't be friends, man.

Let's go!

We wanna destroy each other.

[Sascha] If you wish bad upon someone,
then the bad is going to come back to you.

Got nothing to say now?

f*cking opportunity out the f*cking door.

You gotta do better.
Outperform the other guys.

[man] All these challengers...

they're all primed
to come and take some real stake.

- I'm the god of this game!
- [man laughs]

Be ready for the moment,
be willing to die for it.

[crowd cheering]

[producer] Hang on a sec.

- Go!
- Tennis is...

- [producer] Wait, hang on one sec.
- Yep.

- [producer] Two, one...
- So tennis...

So tennis has gone global,
absolutely smashing it.

[woman] Can you say,
"And it's gonna be a smash hit"?

And it's gonna be... okay.

[reporter] The new Netflix series
Break Point has gone box office.

I'm on the red carpet
with some of the biggest names in tennis.

[Kyrgios] I wanna know
how it feels to win a title.

I know what I'm capable of
and I know how much work I put in.

Having cameras follow you around
is a big deal.

There has to be a part of these players
that wants to put on their best face

and present well for everyone.

But if you're distracted,
you may not perform at your best.

[Amritraj] I think all players
would love to do it again.

But after what happened...

[cries]

...I'm not sure.

Can you chalk it up
to an interesting coincidence?

Maybe.

[announcer] You have got to be kidding me.

[Amritraj] But the Australian Open?

Was like a horror movie.

[commentator] Can you feel it?

We're inching up to the starting line

as we approach
the first Grand Slam of the year.

[man] There he is! [laughs]

Hi. Good to see you all.

[man] They'll remember you. You raised
over a quarter million for charity.

- That's cool.
- That's huge.

Never thought
I'd have the power to do that.

Yeah, and you did it in what?
Forty-eight minutes.

Fifty-eight. But, yeah... 48. Close enough.

Next year, 48.

[Kyrgios] 2022 was phenomenal,
and to think at the start of that year,

I was almost contemplating
not playing anymore.

And then had the best year of my career.

It was insane.

Bye. Cutie. Bye-bye.

[Horse] Hello!

No, we're on the way,
but the traffic's really bad.

Says we're three minutes away.

[Kyrgios] Look at 'em. Marching in.

Good way to start a Friday night
before getting cooked.

[Horse] Let's go, Novak!

[laughs]

[Kyrgios] Last year, I played
a Wimbledon final for the first time.

[commentator] Which Nick Kyrgios
will we see today?

[Kyrgios] After that match
is when I felt the narrative changed.

[commentator] Game, set and match.

A seventh Wimbledon, a 21st Grand Slam.

[Kyrgios] There's still
a lot of disrespect.

But I think I'm more embraced
by the crowds everywhere I go.

I just wish you guys were filming
some of the stuff after Wimbledon,

because the partying was insane.

[Kyrgios] Not gonna warm up, Monique.

I don't have enough time.

- [Monique] No? Cool.
- I'll get changed, we'll do it.

[Monique] No worries, champ.

[Kyrgios] I look back on
from where I started, you know,

and it's insane to me because
I literally wasn't anything special.

[man]...okay, sweet.

This year,
I've still got a bit left to prove.

I would like to win a Slam
and I still think that's possible.

No warm up. Gotta go out there,
feeling it straightaway.

[Kyrgios] How are you?

Good.

I was more nervous for Wimbledon.

[man] Yeah, I bet.

Save the best till last.

[man laughs]

[Kyrgios] If I do win a Grand Slam,
I'll have more chance to be at peace.

[announcer] Novak Djokovic!

[crowd cheering]

Last time I did this, I walked out
and wondered if I had to change my pants.

[announcer] Nick Kyrgios!

[announcer] Come on, Nick, have a chat...

Don't be shy.

I'll come to you,
this is your house tonight.

They call it an exhibition,

you're gonna give him a bit tonight?

I need some payback for Wimbledon,
I'm not gonna lie...

I haven't slept since. [laughs]

We'll see how it goes.

[announcer] What we like to hear.
Good luck.

- Nick Kyrgios, Novak Djokovic.
- [crowd cheering]

[Kyrgios and Djokovic grunting]

[umpire] Out.

- [crowd applauds]
- [umpire] Thirty-all.

[crowd cheering]

[umpire] 4-1, Kyrgios.

[crowd laughs]

[crowd whooping]

[crowd wolf-whistles]

[crowd laughing, applauding]

[Kyrgios] f*cking ball.

f*ck.

I'm done, bro.

[Kyrgios] I got off the court yesterday,

and you can see
on the side of my knee's a little lump.

I'm devastated, obviously.

[Maher] It won't interrupt
his year tremendously,

but I think we've made a sensible
decision to withdraw

from the Australian Open home Slam.

[Kyrgios] Feels pretty sh*t, to be honest.

It's gut-wrenching because I put hours,
hours and hours and hours of work in.

But when everything
is progressing pretty well,

there's always a problem.

Uh, I feel like it's a bit of a curse.

- [man 1] Take it easy.
- [man 2] See you.

[Sabalenka] So what do you think?

They are made by me.

I choose the colors, yes?

- You can, if you want...
- [man] You design your own?

- ...you can design, pick the colors...
- Yeah?

And I think I can be
a really good designer at Nike.

[man] Stop.

Let's go to the hockey game. Come on.

Stop talking about Nike. That's it.

- Yes or no?
- Seriously, let's go.

- Yes? Okay.
- [man] Get out of here. Go.

[woman] Hi, do you have a garage pass?

[Koltsov] Do we have a garage pass?

[producer] Yes, sorry, we're with Netflix.
We're filming.

[Sabalenka] I'm ready to see some action.

[in Russian] Please let them fight
right in front of me.

I want to see it.

[in English] Let's go, boy!

[crowd chanting] Let's go, Panthers!

[Sabalenka] I like the action,
especially when they fight.

That's my favorite part.

[in Russian] Why are you laughing?

[in English] And it's not like
in football, where they fake it, you know?

This is real.

I'm Aryna Sabalenka from Belarus.

World number five, 24 years old.

[chuckles]

Wish I would be 18. [laughs]

I feel old.

I actually thought
I will win a Grand Slam before 25.

Last year, I felt like
it was really close,

but I couldn't handle this pressure.

[Courier] I love Aryna Sabalenka.

She lets you see
exactly what she's feeling on the court.

She's volcanic.

[commentator] Just extreme power.

[Courier] All of this immense power
and raw athleticism.

[umpire] Game, Sabalenka.

It's fun
to ride the roller coaster with Aryna.

She's definitely an extrovert.

[roars]

[Osaka] I've only played her once,

but she's a player
you would constantly worry about.

She's very strong
and hits the ball very heavy.

[commentator] Sabalenka trying to reach
her first major final.

[Courier] Aryna is an incredible
tennis player with huge upside.

[commentator] A sign of frustration
from Aryna Sabalenka.

[Courier] But also huge volatility.

She's had trouble
managing herself on the court.

[commentator 1] Three times now
she's been to the semis of a major...

[commentator 2] Something has gone wrong.

[Sabalenka] This season, I want to be
a different person and a different player.

Less emotions.

But there's no way you can predict
anything on tour. No way.

Like, every year, something unacceptable,

- not unacceptable... except...
- [producer] Unexpected.

Every year, something unexpected happens.
[laughs]

[announcer]
Welcome to the 2023 Australian Open.

The story starts here.

[crowd] Aussie, Aussie, Aussie,
oi, oi, oi!

[commentator] A beautiful day here
at the Australian Open.

First round action underway.

[Sabalenka grunts]

[commentator] Oh! Well done!
And Aryna Sabalenka...

[umpire] Game. Set. Match. Sabalenka...

...getting it done.

[crowd applauding]

[man] We have new players
that have pulled out

of the events, and new withdrawals,
pulling out of the Australian Open.

- [woman] You wanna take a minute?
- No, let's do it.

[woman] All right. We'll get started.

Um, Ajla, obviously unfortunate news
about the injury.

Can you just talk us through the decision
to pull out of the Australian Open?

It sucks.

This is the worst thing that really could
have happened this year, and it did,

so now I can just take a moment.

[reporter] How long are you
going to be out of playing?

[Ajla] Three months minimum.

[Ajla] Right now, I have so much fear

that it will never be the same.

[commentator 1] Just a little anxiety
and a puff of the cheeks here

from the star of the Netflix series.

[Murray roars]

[commentator 1]
Berrettini is struggling a little bit.

A player that's been residing comfortably
in the world's top ten

since injuries hurt him last year.

[Berrettini] I know that I'm not
going to be able to play forever.

[umpire] Advantage, Murray.

[Berrettini] So I need to win right now.

[commentator 1] His victory slipping
from the Italian's grasp.

[umpire] Game, Murray.

[commentator 2] It would be a big upset.

[Berrettini] And when the match
is not going my way,

that's a moment where I have to be tough.

But I feel weak.

[commentator 1] Murray finds himself
with three match points.

[commentator 3] That's unlucky.

[umpire] Game. Set. Match. Murray.

[commentator 4] An upset.

[woman] I'm sure I'm not the first person
who is making this connection

in the past two-and-a-half days,

but Kyrgios, Tomljanović, and Badosa
didn't even start the tournament.

They all pulled out
with injuries ahead of it.

And then Matteo Berrettini
lost to Andy Murray.

Four of the people that were featured
on Netflix's Break Point

are already out of the Australian Open.

[yells]

[commentator] And the second seed
is in big trouble.

Vondroušováon the brink of a big upset.

[commentator] Oh, no way!

You have got to be kidding me.

[man] There is rarely a group
more superstitious than athletes.

Perhaps in this instance,
that superstition is justified.

[commentator] And the world number two,
Ons Jabeur exits.

I've noticed a little pattern
with the players involved in Break Point.

[commentator] He takes out
world number three, Casper Ruud.

[man] Casper Ruud and Jabeur
have been eliminated

in the second round at Melbourne.

Folks, this is getting out of hand.

[woman 1] So apparently,
there's a Netflix curse...

[woman 2] Netflix curse...

[man] ...might be cursed...

[umpire] Out!

- Game. Set. Match. Sabalenka.
- [crowd cheering]

[Stacy] At a Slam
or in these environments,

there's a lot of kind of background noise.

You have to find a way
to turn the volume down a little bit.

[Stacy] Aryna!

Time to practice. Keep moving.

- We got a long way to go.
- No, please.

[Stacy] See you guys there. Court ten?

- Court 20.
- [Stacy] Twenty, right.

- You can go court ten if you like.
- [Stacy laughs]

Oh, yeah, baby.

[Stacy] This season, our approach
has been something new and different.

Every chance we get we try to take
a step back, go off-site and practice.

We're not near all the chaos.

[Stacy] Uh-oh. Eye on the ball.

[Stacy] Manage all the talk
about this curse,

all the Instagram posts, TikTok bullshit.

She's an emotional person.
My job is just manage it.

[chuckling]

If I start talking too fast,
just let me know.

- [producer] I will.
- I get excited.

This is nice and calm here.

We have it for two hours if we want it.

Use that extra time
for some sprints or something?

- Jason. You know what?
- [Stacy laughs]

Like that?

[Stacy] A couple of years back,

everyone talking about Aryna,
she was doing great, number two,

but the place where she always
struggled to perform was Grand Slams.

It was the only thing she cared about.

Close your eyes. Hey! It worked!

sh*t. Cheese and rice. [laughs]

[Stacy] Our goal is to win a Slam.
There's already a lot of expectation.

How was that?

[Stacy] She needs to learn
how to just turn that volume down,

and just keep that focus. Simple as that.

Yeah, you felt that? [chuckles]

[reporter] There has been some talk
about the Netflix curse

from the people
who participated in Season 1.

Is it anything that concerns you?

Netflix curse. I've never heard that.

If you let these thoughts and this energy
affect you, then it's when bad luck comes.

What is this Netflix curse?

[Amritraj] If you're one of the players
who was in Season 1

and all the others are losing,

and everyone's in your ear,
about the Netflix curse.

It could subconsciously
get into your head. [chuckles]

[announcer 1] We're expecting
a good match here tonight.

Sakkari the favorite.

[announcer 2] She's always someone

who's struggled
with the mental side of the game.

[Hill] Nice one.

[announcer 1] Zhu Lin, 28 years of age,
number 87 in the world.

Never beaten a top ten opponent.

[Hill] I'd like Johnny
to start sh**ting a little bit

'cause the girl shoots... Okay?

[Sakkari] What do you mean, "shoots"?

[Hill] She has a very good forehand.

Tom. Stop it. I'm gonna get angry.

Every player I play,

- they're great players to be playing here.
- Okay.

You cannot, like,
freak me out before the match.

I'm playing Serena Williams.

No, can I ask...
how would you like me to say it?

[Sakkari] No, it's fine.

I'm playing Serena Williams, uh, 2.0.

[commentator 1] Now, this is terrific.

Stay away from that forehand.

[umpire] Deuce.

No worries. Next point, next point.

I wouldn't lie to you. Come on.

[grunts]

[crowd cheering]

[umpire] Out!

[commentator 2] It seems like everything
Zhu Lin does tonight is the right thing.

[commentator 2] You can feel the tension.

[umpire] Game. Set...

[commentator 3]
Maria Sakkari, the sixth seed.

Looks a little shell shocked,
to be honest.

The so-called Netflix curse...

The Netflix curse.

[newscaster] The documentary series
got access with many tennis players,

almost all of which have been eliminated.

[commentator 1] Lehecka, to the
quarter-finals for the first time!

Auger-Aliassime still staring at the line.
What a win.

[woman] I've seen nothing like this ever.

[newscaster 1]
Player after player eliminated

before the second week in Melbourne.

[newscaster 2] Does this mean
this Break Point curse is a thing?

How can it not be?

Now Netflix insists
that this is just a coincidence

and that there's nothing
nefarious at play.

But all of the people, barring one,

who've appeared on the series
have now crashed out of the Aus Open.

- [grunts]
- [Stacy] Come on, come on.

[umpire] Advantage, Sabalenka.

Love-30.

[commentator] Match point.

- [crowd applauding]
- [umpire] Game. Set. Match. Sabalenka.

[commentator 1] A straight-sets winner
and through to the semi-finals.

Is she your favorite, Laura?

[commentator 2]
Sabalenka playing great tennis,

but you don't want her
to start thinking about it,

because that's when
things start to go haywire.

[Sabalenka] As always, it's a little mess.

I have no idea how I'm gonna pack it,
going back home. I don't know.

It's going to be trouble. [laughs]

You know, this book,
my team present to me.

"Why are we the way we are?"

[laughing] Are you serious?

[Sabalenka] Maybe because
I want to do well in tennis...

Oh, wow.

...if I feel that something is not going
my way or something is wrong, um,

I start getting really crazy
and just losing my mind every time.

[Sabalenka] It's somewhere...

That was a good one,
that was a good shot, actually.

[Sabalenka] My dad,
he was a hockey player.

He was an aggressive player like me.

He wanted me just to be the best,

but there is a lot of expectation.

I hope you win.

[Sabalenka] But it was our dream
with my dad to win a Grand Slam,

and he thought that I will win before 25.

So this is the last chance.

[announcer] Well, day ten
of the Australian Open is in the books.

Sabalenka into now
her fourth Grand Slam semi-final.

- Hi.
- [Stacy] What's happening?

- What's going on?
- Good, how are you?

- Anton.
- That's Louise, sorry.

- Nice to meet you.
- Great stuff.

Did the match last night,
doing tonight's too...

[Stacy] Beautiful.

Any inside info you can give me...

I dunno. What's news?

It'll happen whenever it happens.

Could've done it four years ago.

- Yeah, maybe.
- [Louise] She's that talented.

[Stacy] There's potential there, yeah.

[Louise] It's just that self-belief.

Semi-finals are probably
one of the most nerve-racking matches

because it's the one
right before the finals.

Uno. [laughing]

[man chuckles] Champion.

[Osaka] You kind of just want to make it
to the trophy ceremony.

I'm the god of this game!

[Osaka] But you try to erase that thought
and start focusing on your own game.

[announcer] Will the following players
please go to the match court area

for your escort to court.

Women's singles, Magda Linette,
Aryna Sabalenka, Rod Laver Arena.

[Courier] If you win a semi-final...

[Stacy] One minute...

...you're one step closer
to your dream coming true.

Aryna has huge potential.

How is she going to hold up
under the gauntlet of pressure?

Because she has struggled at times.

[imperceptible]

[commentator] This feels very much
like the last gasp for Sabalenka.

[crowd cheering]

[Sabalenka] I was so close at the US Open.

But I couldn't get this win.

And then, uh, after a few months,
I lost my father.

And I couldn't stop thinking about that.

[grunts]

- [commentator] Oh!
- [crowd cheers]

[commentator] Agony from Sabalenka.

[Sabalenka] I really wanted
to win a Slam for him,

just to put our family name
in the history.

So many thoughts
going through your mind on that court.

Like, I have to win every point,
I have to win this Slam.

[grunting]

Thinking too much about it.

[imperceptible]

[Sabalenka grunts]

[commentator] Three times now,
she's been to the semis of a major,

and all three losing in the third set,
and this time twice with the lead.

That is a complete gut check.

[crowd chanting] Magda! Magda!

[umpire] Thirty-all.

[grunts]

[commentator] Massive serve.

I believe that's the quickest
of the night as well for Sabalenka.

Match point.

[Sabalenka] When I lost my father,
I lost this belief in myself.

But now it's a new beginning for me.

[umpire] Game. Set. Match. Sabalenka.

- Good morning, boss.
- Good morning.

- Nervous when I'm in front of the camera.
- [man] Okay.

[Stacy] What?

[Takla] Hopefully, I can sleep tonight.

[Stacy] Oh, yeah, why?

A little bit excited.

It's not time to be excited yet.

Should be mindful
while saying those kinda things.

I know you weren't talking to her,

if she hears you go,
"Not gonna sleep tonight."

...she hears that.

And her subconsciousness
takes it in as well.

"It's pretty hard to sleep tonight."

We don't let her hear that.

- Know what I mean?
- Okay.

[Stacy] Still a long way to go,

this is what she wants more than anything,

more than you can understand
how much she wants this.

Understand?

She's right there.

So what we need to do
is keep everything as is.

Steady.

- Just steady. Yeah?
- Okay.

- My man. Appreciate it.
- [Takla] Good chat.

[Stacy] When we want something so bad,
nothing else matters.

And, Aryna, she has this fear, you know,
like this fear of losing everything.

In that state,
there's these voices in your head?

All that resistance trying
to get you to stop, under the pain,

the discomfort, the fear.

Trying to stop you no matter what.

[Stacy] Legs up.
We'll do the ten inhale holds.

[Stacy] We started working on breathing.

[Stacy] And that is to recharge your a*s.

- Wow.
- [Stacy] I know it's crazy.

[Sabalenka] Something new!

[Stacy] Well...

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Right?

Because breath control
is emotional control.

If you just take a second, you lower
your heart rate by how you're breathing,

think more clearly
and make better decisions.

Now, so the last breathing,
you have to take the shoes, put 'em here.

- [inhales and exhales deeply]
- [laughing]

That'll get you fired up, ready to go.

Or you're going to pass out.
One of the two.

I'm gonna pass out.

[Stacy] Aryna needs to learn
how to take control.

[Sabalenka] Do I look like Father,
or Mother?

We have the same nose, if you... [laughs]

Same smile.

[laughs] I don't know.
What about this picture of me?

That's me on court
when something is going wrong. [laughs]

I wish I could be one of those players
who stay calm, stay consistent.

But tennis, for me, it's so emotional.

Now look at this one.

[laughing]

I don't want to be that little kid
crying and screaming on the court.

Not anymore.

I'm really afraid that the same sh*t
will happen this year

that happened last year.

But you already fixed it.

Yeah, but what if it comes back?
What then?

Then we go again.

- You. You go again.
- I go.

- Thank you for the nice support.
- Yeah.

Just relax and enjoy the tennis.
That's it.

I mean, I only enjoy tennis only...
when I win the Grand Slam.

I don't have a Grand Slam yet.

You will win.

[commentator] It's a wonderful day
here in Melbourne,

and it is the women's singles final here
at the Australian Open.

Sabalenka hasn't dropped a set
all tournament.

Up against Elena Rybakina.

[Courier] Rybakina is an immense talent.

There's no doubting it.
Not her first rodeo.

[commentator 1] There she is, a new name,
a new champion, Elena Rybakina.

[commentator 2] Does she realize
she won Wimbledon?

[commentator 3] Someone tell her.

She is so well put together emotionally.

She's a major champion,
and it's a big advantage for Rybakina.

She knows how to win a final.

We're underneath the tunnel
at Rod Laver Arena.

This is inner sanctum stuff.

All quiet. Everyone is laser focused.

Behind me, you can see Aryna Sabalenka
going through her final preparations.

She looks so relaxed
ahead of her first ever Grand Slam final.

Just moments away
from the biggest match of her career.

[man] Will the following players
please go to the match court area

for your escort to Rod Laver Arena?

Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka.

[announcer speaking] Welcome
to Rod Laver Arena!

It is women's singles finals night!

[commentator 1] We need to see
just the opening few games.

Just to get a sense for...
So much of it is mentality as well.

[Sabalenka] I think you always
have to dream big, you know?

[announcer] Please welcome Elena Rybakina
and Aryna Sabalenka!

[commentator 1] With Sabalenka,
we don't know for certain.

She's not been in a major final before.

[Sabalenka] My family had to sacrifice
a lot for me to be here.

[umpire] First set, Sabalenka to serve.

[Sabalenka] Finally, I have this chance
to do something special for them.

[umpire 1] Ready, play.

[umpire 2] Fault!

[grunts]

- [crowd groans]
- [umpire 1] Love-15.

[commentator 2] It's a very nervous start
for Sabalenka,

in her first Grand Slam final,
a double fault.

[Sabalenka] I just need
to take the final step.

- [grunts]
- [umpire 1] 15-all.

[commentator 3] And a wonderful response.

[umpire 1] Game, Sabalenka.

[commentator] The Rybakina serve.

[umpire 1] Game. Rybakina.

[commentator 2]
Oh, boy, this is impressive serving.

[umpire 1] Advantage, Rybakina.

[commentator 2] First break point.

That's a little wide.

So we have the first break
in this women's final.

What a start from Rybakina.

[Sabalenka grunts]

[Sabalenka exclaims]

- [umpire 3] Out.
- [umpire 1] Game, Rybakina.

[Sabalenka] If you see that that match
is not going your way,

you're k*lling yourself inside.

[umpire 2] Out.

[commentator 2] Starting
to doubt herself a little.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

[Sabalenka] It felt like I'm super close

to my dream
and there's the biggest problem.

[umpire 1] Game and first set.

[Sabalenka] You had so many chances
and you lose it again.

[commentator 2] Sabalenka hasn't dropped
a set all tournament.

How does she turn this around?

[commentator 1] You can't let those demons
come to play.

Get your breath back and be ready.
Let's go.

[Sabalenka]
First time after I lost my dad,

I couldn't talk to my mom about him.

Because every time we spoke,
she would cry.

But when I told her
I want to win a Slam for him,

for his memory,

I wanted to put our family name
in the history, you know...

she said, "What are you talking about?"

"He was proud of you
after each match you win."

"Every match for him mattered,
and titles wasn't the big deal for him."

[umpire 1] Time.

[Sabalenka] He would say,
"You just have to trust yourself."

[umpire 1] Second set.

[Sabalenka] "You know how to play
this game. You just have to go for it."

[umpire 1] Out!

[commentator 2] Break point, Rybakina.

[Sabalenka] Without any fear, you know?

[grunts]

He wanted me to know
that you have to believe in yourself.

[umpire 1] Game, Sabalenka.

[Sabalenka] He wanted me
to be a fighter, like him.

[commentator 2]
Sabalenka finds a way to hold.

That's a perfect strike, isn't it?

[umpire 1] Game, Sabalenka.

[commentator 1] Starting to find
a level of consistency here.

[Sabalenka] I kind of found this relief.

[commentator 2] So we have our first break
in the second set.

Oh, that's so good.

- [commentator 1] That's ridiculous.
- [commentator 2] That is so composed.

And Sabalenka wraps up
the second set in style.

[Sabalenka] He would be proud of me.

No matter what.

[commentator 2] Another impressive
service game. Feeling confident.

[grunts]

[Sabalenka] I felt free.

[umpire 1] Game, Sabalenka.

[commentator 2] Finally it's Sabalenka,
with the first break in this decider.

[umpire 1] Advantage, Sabalenka.

[commentator 2] Match point.

[umpire 1] Out.

Game, set, match, Sabalenka!

- Yeah! All right!
- [crowd cheering]

[commentator] Aryna Sabalenka
is the Australian Open champ for 2023.

[Stacy] f*ck, yeah!

[laughing] Holy sh*t! Oh, my God!

[Sabalenka, in Russian] I can't reach you.

[in English] Don't fall, come on.
Oh, my God, so proud of you.

Oh, so beautiful. Ah!

It's for everything.

Everything.

[announcer] Her first major title.

The Australian Open women's singles
champion for 2023, Aryna Sabalenka!

[crowd cheering and applauding]

[crying] Mom, don't cry, I'm starting
to cry, cameras are filming me here.

You're on speaker.

[Sabalenka's mom, in Russian] On speaker?
My baby, sunshine...

[all laughing]

[Stacy] My little sunshine...

[in Russian] That's it, Mom, don't cry,
I'm already starting to cry.

[crying] Mom, don't start
talking about Dad, damn it.

[Sabalenka, in English] My mom,
she was crying, saying that,

"Your dad will be super proud of you."

[in Russian] Mom kisses everyone.

[man chuckles]

[Dubrov] Come on. Really?
We all kiss Mom too.

Everyone kisses you too.

[Dubrov chuckles]

[in English] It's really sad because...

I really want him to be here.

I really want to call him and,
I don't know, just hear what he would say.

[chuckles]

Right now his surname
is on that trophy, which means a lot.

- [cork pops]
- [gasps]

What the f*ck?
Why would you do it like that?

[all cheering and laughing]

[people exclaiming and whooping]

[man] To many more.

- Many.
- Many, many more.

[man] Cheers.

Let's enjoy.

What f*cking Netflix curse?

- [woman] Youngsters are coming for you.
- [Djokovic] Love it.

They want to get a scalp, win,
but it ain't happening.

If you ask me, "Who do you want
to play?" I'd say Novak.

If he's doing anything wrong
against Novak, he's gonna be k*lled.

[Rune] He knows
when his opponent will break.

[commentator] So the future is here.
These two born six days apart.

[Alcaraz, in Spanish] Playing aggressively
and happy, that's my style

[Rune, in English] What Alcaraz is doing
is not just incredible, it's insane.

The young players, they have more fire.

Very different atmosphere.

[Rune] It's about winning. Nothing else.

Let's go!

The young generation comes.