4. Clara Tauson (13)
Another player who fits a similar prototype to Rybakina is Tauson. She either cruises in her matches or struggles mightily, and when it’s the latter, quite a few of them tend to end up really close.
Thirteen tiebreaks tells you that the inconsistency is real. When she’s on, she dominates. When she’s not, everything becomes a battle, and tiebreaks are the only way through.
5. Diana Shnaider (12)
Shnaider being on the list is a bit of a surprise because she tends to be a hyper-aggressive player who wants to finish points quickly. Even so, she’s not quite there yet with her level.
Her hyper-aggressive style also tends to keep the opposition in play through much of the match, mostly with errors. When you’re going for everything, you’re either blowing opponents off the court or keeping sets tight. Twelve tiebreaks suggests plenty of the latter.
6. Sofia Kenin (12)
Kenin being on this list is not a massive surprise. She’s become a rather grinding player, far from her Grand Slam winning days. Kenin did play well overall this year, but she evolved into someone who has to fight for every set and every point.
That transformation makes this number rather realistic. When you’re no longer dominating but still winning, tiebreaks become your best friend.
7. Anna Kalinskaya (11)
Kalinskaya is another player who is very streaky. On her best days, she cruises. If not, she has to grind out wins. With her level being so volatile, quite a few matches end up incredibly close, requiring tiebreaks to seal the deal.
Eleven of them in a season is just the natural result of that boom-or-bust approach. Consistency would lower the number, but it would also probably make her less dangerous on her best days.
