What happened after Casper Ruud, Félix Auger-Aliassime faced the ‘King of Clay’ on ‘Break Point’?

FLASHBACK: Upstart Felix challenged an aging all-time great on his home turf, and Rafa responded by lifting his game to a level that no one has ever been able to match on a clay court.

Part 1 of the binge-worthy Break Point tennis docuseries concludes with a bang at Roland Garros, the second Grand Slam of the year.

Episode 5 is fittingly titled ‘King of Clay’—a nod to 13-time champion Rafael Nadal’s unparalleled dominance over the Parisian event—but Netflix chose to focus the cameras on two of his potential successors: Félix Auger-Aliassime and Casper Ruud.

Tennis fans already know the ending (spoiler alert: Rafa clinches a record 22nd Grand Slam crown) so the most revealing drama actually happens behind the scenes. The Nadal legacy looms large over both young players—making for some loaded moments when the 36-year-old must ultimately defeat each of them on his way to the title.

But what happened to Félix and Casper after the Netflix cameras stopped rolling?

Does Félix ever win a big title?

When the Montreal native made his Break Point debut, he owned just one ATP title after winning in Rotterdam earlier in the season. The 21-year-old former prodigy was still searching for his first “big” title—a win at the ATP Masters 1000 or Grand Slam level—by the time the tour reached Roland Garros.

While his search continues, Auger-Aliassime’s 2022 hot streak would actually come a few months after his epic fourth-round defeat to Nadal. The Canadian went on a winning spree in the fall, lifting trophies in Florence (250), Antwerp (250) and Basel (500), qualifying for ATP Finals in Turin for the first time as a result.

Is Félix still working with Toni Nadal?

“I’ll be surprised if the relationship survives this,” mused one TV commentator, after Toni revealed he had picked a side in the upcoming clash between his current pupil and his nephew—and he was rooting for Rafa.

Break Point cameras even captured Toni—who chose to sit in neither player’s box—leaving his seat at Court Philippe-Chatrier during the height of the tension, with Nadal and Auger-Aliassime locked in a fifth set. Without his coach’s support, Auger-Aliassime eventually lost 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

The events left a sour taste for Auger-Aliassime’s fans, some of whom even took to social media and urged him to find a new coach. But the Canadian revealed, “It didn’t bother me in any way.” In fact, the pair have a longstanding agreement that Toni would recuse himself from any matches against Rafa.

Toni continues to work as a consultant on Team FAA to this day, alongside coach Frédéric Fontang. The dynamic seems to be working, with Félix reaching a career-high world No. 6 ranking in November.

Félix would get his own revenge against Rafa, too. With Toni in his box—but not celebrating any of his points—he defeated the world No. 2 in Turin, notching his first career victory against Rafa.

How is Rafa and uncle Toni’s relationship?

While Toni made it clear that family comes first, Netflix cameras captured a moment that seemed to reveal behind-the-scenes tension between Rafa and his uncle in the lead-up to the clash with Félix.

After chatting with press in the mixed zone—where he dropped his controversial comments—Toni heads back into the bowels of Philippe Chatrier Stadium, where he runs into his nephew in the hallway. When the coach greets him, Rafa replies, “I’m playing Félix in the next round. Are you allowed to be over here?”

Despite the frosty exchange, the bond between the Nadals appears to be as strong as ever after the red-brick dust settled. While Rafa’s current coaching team consists of Carlos Moya, Marc Lopez and Gustavo Marcaccio, Toni remains involved in his nephew’s career through projects including Rafa Nadal Academy.

Was Roland Garros “the only one” for Casper?

Break Point took fans inside Casper Ruud’s unforgettable Parisian fortnight, as the Norwegian made historic strides for his country en route to the French Open final. But Ruud, a regular visitor to the Rafa Nadal Academy, couldn’t overcome the nerves as his childhood hero routed him in straight sets.

“I’m not going to play the final of a Grand Slam every Sunday,” the 23-year-old mused before the match. “This could be the only one.”

But was Paris really Ruud’s only shot at a major title? Not quite. While the clay-courts of Roland Garros suit his game best, Ruud shocked everyone—and silenced plenty of critics—with his run to the US Open final later in the season. Despite coming up short against Carlos Alcaraz, his ranking would peak at world No. 2 in September.

Where were all the women in Episode 5?

Despite Netflix cameras focusing almost entirely on the men’s action at Roland Garros during the mid-season finale, there was indeed a women’s tournament happening in Paris.

Title favorite Ons Jabeur, whose milestone Madrid triumph was depicted in Episode 4, suffered a stunning upset to Magda Linette in the first round. Other Break Point stars suffered a similar fate, with Ajla Tomljanovic and Maria Sakkari exiting in the second round, and Paula Badosa retiring in the third.

World No. 1 Iga Swiatek would take home the trophy, taking down 18-year-old Coco Gauff to win her second Grand Slam title and extend her winning streak to 35 matches. The American would finish runner-up in doubles as well, partnered with countrywoman Jessica Pegula.