Is Daniil Medvedev the ‘Bad Guy of Tennis’? American Giant Netflix Slammed for Glorifying Alexander Zverev at Russian’s Expense

Season 2 of Netflix’s Break Point has received intense criticism for allegedly ‘whitewashing’ Alexander Zverev while attempting to villainise Daniil Medvedev. The Russian star’s fans on social media slammed the streaming giant as more negative reviews flowed in.

Zverev has been accused of domestic abuse by two ex-girlfriends, including the mother of his child. She initiated legal proceedings against him last year. While the German was hit with a massive fine, he appealed against the decision. The case is ongoing in court, even as he continues to feature on the tour.

Break Point Season 2 witnessed negative press even before release, as media outlets and journalists gave scathing reviews. They criticised Netflix for dedicating an entire episode to Zverev and completely ignoring the allegations, which are never mentioned. Additionally, to further portray him in a favourable light, he is shown as a protagonist coming back from a horrible injury, his 2022 French Open semi-final ankle fracture.

Medvedev has been shown as the antagonist, with a montage of his actions and words attempting to paint him negatively. The video collage shows him doing an underhand serve, smashing a shot onto an opponent, arguing with the referees, kicking a camera, and taunting the crowd. However, this has backfired for Netflix, as fans raged against the move.

The episode covers Zverev’s loss against Medvedev at the 2023 Monte Carlo Masters. It focuses the negative light on the latter, again showing him arguing with umpires and taking toilet breaks. The docuseries also showed Zverev in a cheery mood after Medvedev was eliminated from the 2023 French Open in the first round. After the match, the 2020 US Open finalist implied ‘karma’ got to his rival.

Fans back Daniil Medvedev and slam negative image in Alexander Zverev episode

Fans on social media expressed their displeasure with Netflix’s attempt to portray Daniil Medvedev as the villain while pushing Alexander Zverev as the hero. The series, now released to the public, garnered much negative publicity as viewers were unhappy with the unfair portrayal of the World No.3. What additionally angered fans was the silence on Zverev’s domestic abuse allegations.

Journalist Ben Rothenberg, who first unearthed the accusations against Zverev, revealed that Medvedev’s negative portrayal in Break Point before the second season premiered. Fans slammed the American corporation for their move, with more joining in after the January 10 release. Netflix presumably shot themselves in the foot, as some fans said they now love Medvedev more after this.