The second batch of episodes for Break Point Season 1 premiered on Netflix today, taking viewers behind-the-scenes for some of tennis‘s biggest moments last year. The five new episodes of the docuseries follow the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Ajla Tomljanovic, Iga Swiatek, Frances Tiafoe, Aryna Sabalenka, and Taylor Fritz as they attempt to emerge victorious from Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and the 2022 ATP and WTA finals. Just as in the first half of the Netflix docuseries, fans get to learn about what drives and haunts these titans of tennis. What Break Point Season 1 Part 2 has that Part 1 doesn’t have, however, is Ajla Tomljanovic’s scene-stealing father, Ratko.
I’m just going to say it: I love Ratko Tomljanovic. The former pro handball player joined his newly single daughter on the tour to offer moral support after her disappointing start to 2022. In addition to struggling on the court, Ajla had just broken up with her fellow tennis star Matteo Berrettini. (I am still so angry that the Break Point cameras captured Berrettini telling Ajla that she couldn’t do her early morning TV interviews from their shared hotel suite because he needed sleep since he was still in the Australian Open. Since his Aussie-based gal pal was kicked out of the tournament, she would have to slum it in the business center. I get the logic, but it was so cold!)
Ratko Tomljanovic does not kick Ajla out of her hotel room when she loses. No, rather, the frugal dad only books hotel rooms in London and New York City for the days he’s certain his daughter is definitely going to play. So as her star rises in the latter half of 2022, he’s constantly rushing onto Booking.com to find her a place to stay. It stresses out his daughter, who takes it as a sign that he doesn’t believe in her talent on the court. Not so, he says. He’s just trying to save her money.
The thing is I believe Ratko. That’s because it’s clear in every moment he spends with Ajla or talking to the cameras that he loves and believes in his daughter like no one else. In fact, he seems to love her so much that he wants to take as much pressure off of Ajla as possible. The former athlete repeatedly explains that he thinks his daughter’s issue is that she’s too wound up, too hard on herself, too much of a perfectionist. While many other players are shown going to great lengths to stay mentally focused on the game, from fancy massages to specialized therapists, Ratko wants to get Ajla’s mind off the game.
And it works! With Ratko in tow, Ajla not only makes it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon, but she also makes history at the U.S. Open. Ajla Tomljanovic doesn’t win the American grand slam, but she does defeat Serena Williams. History will remember Tomljanovic as the woman who retired the G.O.A.T.
Tomljanovic’s main mentor Chris Evert tells the Break Point producers that her theory is that Ajla does better when she doesn’t have a boyfriend distracting her. I think that’s partially true. I also think Ajla Tomljanovic does better when she has her father distracting her. Ratko doesn’t just create a looser vibe ahead of matches, but his advice to her when she eventually loses is kind, wise, and inspiring. Instead of shaming her for insignificant mistakes, he points out how well she’s done, how much she’s learned, and how much better she’ll be in the future.
Ratko Tomljanovic is hands down the best sports dad in Netflix’s Break Point. Though maybe he should look into fully-refundable hotel rooms in the future.