How to Improve Your Tennis Game with a Match Journal

The problem with playing on autopilot

Most recreational tennis players have a routine: show up, warm up, play a match, go home. They play the same way against every opponent, repeat the same mistakes, and wonder why they're not improving despite playing twice a week.

The issue isn't a lack of court time. It's a lack of intentional practice. Without a plan going in and reflection coming out, each match is just isolated exercise rather than a building block toward improvement.

A match journal changes that. It turns every match — win or loss — into a learning opportunity by giving you a structure for planning, executing, and reviewing your game.

What is a match journal?

A match journal is a record of your tennis matches that captures more than just the score. It typically includes three components:

• Pre-match plan: What are you going to focus on today? What strategies do you want to execute?
• Post-match reflection: What worked? What didn't? How well did you stick to your plan?
• Shot and pattern tracking: Which specific shots or patterns did you work on, and how did they go?

Think of it as a conversation with yourself about your tennis. The pre-match plan sets your intention. The post-match reflection measures reality against that intention. Over time, this loop accelerates learning in a way that just playing matches never can.

What to write before a match

The pre-match plan doesn't need to be a tactical thesis. It should take 2–3 minutes and answer a few simple questions:

• What is my main focus for this match? (e.g., serve placement, net approaches, backhand consistency)
• What do I know about my opponent? (Their strengths, weaknesses, preferred patterns)
• What specific situations do I want to create? (e.g., hit to their backhand and approach the net)
• What's my mindset goal? (e.g., stay positive after errors, focus on each point individually)

Writing this down — even briefly — primes your brain to look for these situations during play. You'll notice opportunities you would have missed on autopilot.

What to track after a match

Post-match reflection is where the real learning happens. Do this as soon as possible after the match while the experience is fresh. Key areas to cover:

Strategy execution

Did you stick to your plan? If not, what pulled you away? Maybe your plan was wrong for this opponent, or maybe you abandoned it under pressure. Both are valuable insights.

What worked

Identify 2–3 things that went well. This isn't just about feeling good — it's about recognizing patterns you should repeat. "My crosscourt backhand was landing deep consistently" is more useful than "I played well."

What to improve

Be specific. "Need to work on my serve" is too vague. "Second serve was sitting up short because I wasn't getting enough kick — need to practice brushing up on the ball" gives you a concrete practice target.

Shot ratings

Rate specific shots or patterns on a simple scale (1–5 or poor/fair/good). Over time, these ratings reveal trends — maybe your forehand is consistently strong but your net game is holding you back.

Mental game notes

How did you handle pressure points? Did you tighten up serving at 4–5? Did you lose focus after taking a lead? Mental patterns are as important as technical ones.

Reviewing patterns over time

A single journal entry is useful. Fifty entries are transformative. Patterns emerge that you'd never notice from individual matches:

• You always lose the first set against left-handers (pattern: slow adjustment to different spin)
• Your backhand rating is consistently low in doubles but fine in singles (pattern: positioning issue when returning)
• You perform better in morning matches than evening ones (pattern: fatigue or warm-up difference)
• Your strategy execution drops in the third set (pattern: physical or mental endurance)

These patterns become the basis for targeted practice. Instead of hitting random balls in practice, you're working on specific weaknesses identified from real match data.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Only journaling wins: You learn more from losses. Journal every match, especially the uncomfortable ones.
• Being too vague: "Played badly" tells you nothing. Be specific about what happened and why.
• Skipping the pre-match plan: The plan is what gives the reflection structure. Without it, you're just documenting what happened without a baseline for evaluation.
• Overcomplicating it: A journal entry should take 5 minutes, not 30. If it feels like homework, you'll stop doing it.
• Not reviewing past entries: Writing without reviewing is half the value. The insights come from seeing patterns across matches.

Digital vs. paper journals

Paper journals work and many players prefer the tactile experience of writing. But digital journals have practical advantages: they're searchable, they can calculate trends automatically, they're harder to lose, and they can link entries to specific matches and opponents.

The best journal is the one you'll actually use consistently. If a notes app on your phone works, use that. If a structured app with prompts and analytics works better, use that.

Playgrade's Match Journal is designed specifically for racket sports players. It provides guided prompts for pre-match planning, post-match reflection, and shot-level tracking, then generates insights across your entries — showing you which strategies work, which shots are improving, and where to focus next.