Analysing tie-break performance of different types of male and female tennis players in Grand Slam matches

In professional tennis, tiebreaks are critical, high-stakes situations where technical and tactical factors determine point outcomes. However, the interaction between player archetypes and Score context in Grand Slam events remains underexplored, hindering the development of personalised strategies and performance optimisation. This study by classifying 6458 male and 2236 female players two-step clustering, incorporating height, weight, age, ranking, professional experience, handedness, and backhand style. Retrospective analysis examined 4347 tiebreaks (51,665 points) from 2011–2024, utilising Hawk-Eye/radar data on serve/return performance, rally structures, net approaches, and winner/error ratios; methods included Pearson chi-square tests with Cramér’s V and CHAID decision trees for point-winning probabilities. Score context proved the primary predictor in men (V = 0.454, p < 0.001), followed by server identity and net play, with probabilities ranging from approximately 11% to over 90% across player types, scorelines, and roles.Power-oriented male player types (Big-sized Balanced; Tall-Heavy) had higher first-serve speeds but were more vulnerable to agile baseliners under net pressure. Female Big-sized Balanced players performed best when serving with a lead, while baseline-oriented types were more consistent but less successful when trailing.Left-handed specialists showed no consistent advantage (V < 0.10). These findings provide support coaches with data-driven tools for targeted preparation and tactical adjustments, enhancing competitive outcomes in tennis.