7 Days in Hell

Aaron Williams is introduced as the Bad Boy of Tennis, a gifted American orphan raised by Richard Williams and thrust into the glare of fame. The documentary frames his life as a measured study of the pressures and temptations that accompany greatness. It sets the tone for a portrait of talent entangled with rumor and scrutiny.

In the 1996 Wimbledon Men's Final, Williams's serve unintentionally strikes a line judge, who dies of a heart attack. He does not win the final, and in the aftermath he pushes Prince Edward before vanishing from the scene. The incident casts a long shadow over his career and public image.

Charles Poole is portrayed as a British child prodigy pressed by a demanding mother, and he appears on Caspian Wint's sports talk show at age 15 claiming to idolize Williams. That admission plants the seed of a bitter rivalry that will echo at Wimbledon years later. The piece sketches how ambition and mentorship shape two opposing paths.

The documentary traces Williams's uneasy arc across Europe, including an underwear line that sparks controversy and a descent into pornography and PCP addiction that lands him in prison. The juxtaposition of fame and failure underscores the fragile line he walks. The tale juxtaposes Poole's ascent with Williams's personal turmoil.

As the 2001 Wimbledon Championships approach, the All England Club's Committee led by the Duke of Kent weighs Williams's return against the sport's spectacle. They decide to permit the 128th-seeded Williams to face the 2nd-seeded Poole, a decision that reignites debate about fairness and drama. The stage is set for a clash that blends sport with showmanship.

The night before the match, Queen Elizabeth II privately tells Poole to win, injecting royal pressure into the contest. Poole takes the instruction as a mandate that could tilt the outcome. The moment foreshadows how power and pageantry intrude on competition.

Poole opens with a commanding 6-0 first set, signaling his confidence and the high-stakes nature of the duel. A thunderstorm suspends play, extending the tension and turning the match into a prolonged test. The mood on Centre Court blends awe with anxiety.

Williams resurfaces with renewed energy, aided by illicit substances, and captures the second and third sets. Poole faces mounting pressure as Williams reasserts himself on the court. The queen again punctuates the proceedings with a subtle but pointed encouragement of Poole.

The match deepens into an exhausting marathon as eight hours pass on court with neither man conceding. The rivalry evolves into a ritual of endurance, strategy, and mutual defiance. The line between sport and spectacle becomes increasingly blurred.

A surreal streaker interruption disrupts play, and Williams's response becomes a controversial, intimate moment on screen. He publicly reveals that he has found his birth father, Engelbert Humperdinck, and intends to dedicate the performance to English fans. Darkness interrupts the proceedings, and Poole faces a tense confrontation when the Queen appears in an elevator.

Before day six, Williams is struck by a truck in a crash that seems engineered by Poole's machinations. He leaves hospital and returns to play with one arm, pushing the limits of the duel. A pivotal appearance by illusionist David Copperfield on Poole’s shoulders unsettles Poole at a crucial moment.

The two rivals hold a joint press conference, a leaked sex tape inflames the feud, and Queen Elizabeth II watches from the royal box as they agree to a final brutal confrontation. They strike at each other with their rackets, collapse, and die in a shared tomb, leaving the sport to reflect on fame, memory, and myth. The documentary closes with flashbacks highlighting their influence.