Nail-Biting Index: A data-driven measure of tennis match drama
| Rank | Match | Tournament | Round | Score | NBI | Drama Tags |
|---|
The NBI Formula
NBI =
0.25 × (Set Closeness) +
0.22 × (Comeback Factor) +
0.18 × (Lead Changes) +
0.12 × (Tiebreak Count) +
0.10 × (Match Duration) +
0.07 × (Break Point Drama) +
0.06 × (Final Set Tiebreak)
Set Closeness
Measures how close each set was—smaller average margins mean tighter, more competitive sets.
25%
Comeback Factor
Rewards matches where a player comes back from a significant deficit, especially from two sets down.
22%
Lead Changes
Counts how often the match momentum shifted, showing back-and-forth battles.
18%
Tiebreak Count
Number of sets decided by a tiebreak, highlighting high-pressure moments.
12%
Match Duration
Normalizes match length per set—longer, drawn-out battles score higher.
10%
Break Point Drama
Reflects the share of break points saved, emphasizing clutch play under pressure.
7%
Final Set Tiebreak
Indicates if the match was decided by a tiebreak in the final set.
6%