Night-Match Recovery: Copy the US Open 24-Hour Plan

Why this matters now

The 2025 US Open produced a wave of post-midnight finishes. Pros talked openly about compressed turnarounds and sleep. Tournament physios emphasized rapid rehydration, cooling, and protein plus carbohydrate within the first hour. Many players leaned on wearables to track sleep and HRV and then adjusted the next day.

You do not need a traveling physio. You need a clear 24-hour script you can run without overthinking. This playbook gives you three pillars:

• A 15-minute post-match reset you can do at the locker or the car
• A 5-minute morning readiness mini-screen to set your practice load
• A simple practice-load calculator that scales up or down

I am a USPTA coach and a sport science nerd. I have coached players through late indoor leagues. I also ran a 1:32 half marathon. Recovery after a night session matters. What you do in the next 24 hours sets up performance tomorrow.

OffCourt note: Use OffCourt to log your reset, mini-screen scores, and practice load. The app cues the steps and tracks trends across your season.

The 24-hour playbook at a glance

• T+0 to 15 minutes: Post-match reset. Cool down. Rehydrate. Carb plus protein. Downshift breathing.
• T+15 to 60 minutes: Light snack top-up. Cool shower sequence. Pack and plan. Minimal screens.
• Sleep window: Prioritize core sleep over perfect timing. Aim for 7 to 9 hours in any combination of nocturnal sleep plus controlled nap.
• Morning at wake: 5-minute readiness mini-screen. Decide Green, Yellow, or Red.
• Late morning to early afternoon: Flush and mobility if Yellow or Red. Short primer on court if Green.
• Afternoon or early evening: Quality session scaled by the calculator. Cut caffeine 8 to 10 hours before intended bedtime.
• Evening: Wind-down ritual. Carbohydrate top-up if appetite lags. Lights low. Sleep on time.

The 15-minute post-match reset

This is what tournament physios pushed in New York. Simple. Fast. Evidence-aware.

Step 1: Cool down and downshift breathing (3 minutes)

• Walk easy for 2 minutes. Nose-breath if possible. Keep arms gentle.
• Do 1 minute of box breathing: 4 seconds inhale, 4 seconds hold, 4 seconds exhale, 4 seconds hold. Repeat 4 cycles.

Cues: Shoulders down. Jaw relaxed. Think easy first mile after a tempo run. You are telling your nervous system to land the plane.

Step 2: Rehydrate with electrolytes (within 15 minutes)

• Ideal: Weigh pre and post if you can. Drink 1.25 to 1.5 liters per kilogram of body mass lost over the next 2 to 4 hours.
• No scale: Start with 600 to 900 ml of an electrolyte drink in the first 15 to 30 minutes. Sip, do not chug.

Cues: Aim for pale yellow urine by bedtime. If you cramped, be more aggressive with sodium.

Step 3: Carb plus protein target (within 30 minutes)

• Carbohydrate: 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg body mass within 30 minutes. Example: 60 to 75 g for a 75 kg player.
• Protein: 20 to 30 g high-quality protein. Greek yogurt, recovery shake, eggs and toast. Whatever sits well.
• Before bed top-up: If appetite lags, add another 0.4 to 0.6 g per kg carbs 60 to 90 minutes later.

Cues: Keep it simple. Liquid options work well late at night.

Step 4: Cooling without shocking the system (5 minutes total)

• Shower sequence: 2 minutes warm. 1 to 2 minutes cool to lukewarm. Finish 30 seconds cool on legs and torso.
• If you run hot: Place a cool towel around neck and wrists for 2 minutes.

Cues: You are lowering core temperature slightly. Not a polar plunge.

Step 5: Two quick breathing options to lock in calm (2 minutes)

Pick one:

• Physiological sigh: Two quick inhales through the nose, one long relaxed exhale through the mouth. 10 to 15 cycles.
• 4-6 breathing: Inhale 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds. 10 cycles.

Cues: Exhale longer than inhale. Shoulders drop. Tongue soft on the floor of the mouth.

Step 6: Mobility reset (2 minutes)

• 30 seconds per move x 4 moves: calf rock backs, hip flexor half-kneel stretch, thoracic open book each side, forearm flexor stretch.

Cues: No strain. Think oiling joints, not chasing range.

That is 12 to 15 minutes. You can do all of it beside your bag. The pros did the same sequence in various forms in New York.

DIY sleep protocol for late nights

• Light: Keep lights warm and dim within 30 minutes of bedtime. Avoid bright overhead light. Use a lamp at knee height if possible.
• Temperature: Sleep in a cool room. 17 to 19 C works for most.
• Caffeine cutoff: Stop caffeine 8 to 10 hours before your intended sleep time. If your match ended at 12:30 am, set your cutoff at mid afternoon.
• Sound: Use a steady noise bed. Playlist with consistent volume and slow tempo. Aim for 15 to 20 minutes of wind-down before sleep.
• Food: If you are hungry, add a light carb dominant snack before bed. Example: cereal and milk, rice cakes with honey. Small protein is fine.
• Alarms: Do not stack alarms. One wake time. Let sleep run. If you must wake early, schedule a 20 to 30 minute nap between 1 and 3 pm next day. Hard stop at 30 minutes to protect night sleep.

Tip: Protect your first 90 minutes of sleep. That first cycle is prime time for recovery hormones. Keep the room dark and cool and the phone outside reach.

Morning-after readiness mini-screen (5 minutes)

A simple three-metric screen to set your day. Pros used wearables for sleep and HRV in New York. You can use three field tests.

Metric 1: Grip strength

• Tool: Hand dynamometer if available. If not, use a towel-squeeze test with a bathroom scale.
• Protocol with dynamometer: 3 trials per hand. 3 seconds max squeeze. 30 seconds rest between trials. Record the best of three for your dominant hand.
• No dynamometer: Wrap a towel around a bathroom scale handle. Stand tall. Squeeze for 3 seconds. Record peak. 3 trials. 30 seconds rest.
• Score: Compare to your 10-day rolling average. Within 5 percent is Green. 5 to 10 percent drop is Yellow. Greater than 10 percent drop is Red.

Metric 2: Countermovement jump (CMJ) height proxy

• Tool: Wall and a piece of tape or chalk. Or a phone with slow motion.
• Protocol: 3 maximal jumps with a quick dip and arm swing. Mark highest touch or measure airtime with slow motion. 20 to 30 seconds rest between reps.
• Score: Average of the three compared to your 10-day baseline. Within 3 percent is Green. 3 to 7 percent drop is Yellow. More than 7 percent drop is Red.

Metric 3: Restedness RPE and muscle soreness

• Use a 1 to 10 scale. 1 is very fresh. 10 is wrecked. Record both restedness and soreness.
• Score: If restedness is 1 to 3 and soreness 1 to 3, call it Green. 4 to 6 is Yellow. 7 to 10 is Red.

Combine into a readiness color

• Green: At least two Greens and no Reds
• Yellow: Mixed signals or one Red
• Red: Two or more Reds

Optional add-on if you wear a tracker: If HRV is more than 7 percent below your personal baseline or total sleep is less than 6 hours, downgrade one color.

OffCourt tip: Save your baseline and daily scores in OffCourt. The app calculates your rolling averages and color automatically.

Practice-load calculator

Use your morning color to set court time, intensity, and strength work. Then revisit in the afternoon based on how you feel.

• Green day

  • Court: 60 to 75 minutes. Quality first ball patterns. Serve plus one. Return reps.
  • Conditioning: 10 to 15 minutes alactic sprints or medicine ball throws.
  • Strength: 30 to 40 minutes heavyish total body if you have the base.
  • Serve volume: 60 to 90 balls.

• Yellow day

  • Court: 30 to 45 minutes. Technique and target work. Fewer open rallies.
  • Conditioning: 10 minutes easy spin or jog flush. Keep HR low.
  • Strength: 20 to 30 minutes mobility plus light tissue work.
  • Serve volume: 30 to 50 balls.

• Red day

  • Court: 0 to 20 minutes. Movement prep and feel drills only. Or full rest.
  • Conditioning: 20 to 30 minutes walk or easy bike. Nasal breathing.
  • Strength: Mobility circuit 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Serve volume: 0 to 20 balls at 60 percent effort.

Simple rule of three for afternoon updates

• If you feel two of these three by noon, upgrade one level: appetite normal, mood calm, stiffness easing.
• If you feel two of these by noon, downgrade one level: headache, heavy legs, brain fog.

Food and fluid for the first 24 hours

• Immediately post: 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg carbs plus 20 to 30 g protein. 600 to 900 ml electrolytes.
• Before bed: 0.4 to 0.6 g per kg carbs if appetite allows.
• Breakfast: Protein 25 to 35 g. Carbs 1 to 2 g per kg. Hydrate to pale yellow.
• Lunch: Lean protein and starch. Add fruit. Salt your food.
• Afternoon primer: Small carb snack before practice. 25 to 40 g.
• Dinner: Balanced. Add extra carbs if another match is next day.

Cues: Carbs refill. Protein repairs. Salt retains. Water delivers.

On-court primer sessions you can plug in today

Pick the version that matches your color.

Green primer, 45 minutes

• Warm-up 8 minutes: Skips, carioca, A-march, 10 squat jumps. 4-6 breathing 60 seconds.
• First ball drill 1: Serve plus one to a deep target
  • 6 sets x 5 points. Rotate deuce and ad. Rest 30 to 45 seconds between sets.
  • Cues: Height over net. First step out of the serve loaded.
• Return drill 2: Block and drive
  • 6 sets x 5 returns. Alternate body and wide feeds.
  • Cues: See seams early. Strings to target for 1 second after contact.
• Finisher: 6 accelerations baseline to service line and back. 10 seconds on, 50 seconds walk.

Yellow primer, 30 minutes

• Warm-up 6 minutes: Easy movement. 10 pogo hops. 60 seconds physiological sigh.
• Target rally: Crosscourt forehand 2 balls deep to cone
  • 5 sets x 10 balls. Rest 45 seconds.
  • Cues: Early split. Quiet head.
• Serve accuracy: 4 corners
  • 20 serves to wide and T. Rest 5 breaths between balls.
• Cool-down: 2 minutes walk. 4-6 breathing 6 cycles.

Red primer, 20 minutes or skip

• Mobility and feel only
  • 3 minutes dynamic mobility.
  • 3 minutes short-court mini tennis. 30 balls total.
  • 10 serves at 50 to 60 percent to one target. Stop if technique degrades.
  • 2 minutes walk and breathing.

OffCourt cue cards: Load these primers into OffCourt and check off sets. The app auto-adjusts next time based on your color.

A simple test to clear for higher load

Do this 2 hours before your planned practice.

• CMJ re-check: 3 jumps. If average is within 3 percent of baseline and you feel subjectively 4 or better on restedness, you can add 10 to 15 minutes of quality work to your session.
• Grip re-check: 2 trials. If still down more than 10 percent, cap serve volume at 50 balls.

If either metric is Red, keep the session Yellow or Red.

A 2-week microcycle for late-match season

This microcycle assumes one late match each week. Adjust by color.

Week 1

• Mon: Green strength and court
  • AM: Strength total body 40 minutes. PM: Court 60 minutes first ball patterns.
• Tue: Yellow technique
  • Court 45 minutes targets. Mobility 20 minutes.
• Wed: Green load
  • Court 75 minutes. Serve plus one and return games. Finisher 10 minutes.
• Thu: Red or Yellow recovery
  • Easy bike 25 minutes. Breathing 5 minutes. Optional 20 serves at 60 percent.
• Fri: Prime for late match
  • Court 30 minutes Yellow primer. Early dinner. Caffeine cutoff 6 to 8 hours pre match.
• Sat: Late match night
  • Run the 15-minute reset. Log in OffCourt.
• Sun: Morning mini-screen
  • Calculator sets the day. Likely Yellow. Flush 20 minutes. Short primer if Green in afternoon.

Week 2

• Mon: Yellow technique
  • Court 45 minutes. Serve accuracy. No finisher.
• Tue: Green strength and court
  • AM: Strength 35 minutes. PM: Court 60 minutes quality.
• Wed: Red recovery or full off if needed
  • Walk 30 minutes. Mobility 15 minutes.
• Thu: Green load
  • Court 75 minutes. Match play sets to 4. Keep total time under 90 minutes.
• Fri: Yellow taper
  • Court 30 minutes primer. Early lights down plan.
• Sat: Late match night
  • Run 15-minute reset again.
• Sun: Screen and scale
  • Use calculator. If two Reds, no court. If Yellow, do 30 minutes technique.

Cues: Do not stack two Greens after a late match unless your screen is clearly Green.

What pros did in New York and what matters for you

• Immediate fluids with electrolytes and a protein plus carb hit. That was standard in the first hour.
• Cooling was controlled. Towels, cool showers, not ice baths at 2 am.
• Sleep and HRV were used to set next-day loads. Players cut volume when sleep collapsed.

Your version is the same in spirit. Use the 15-minute reset. Run the morning screen. Let the calculator set the load. Simplicity wins.

Common pitfalls and quick fixes

• Pitfall: You skip carbs because it is late.
  • Fix: Liquid calories. Smoothie with fruit, milk, and whey.
• Pitfall: You doom-scroll in bed.
  • Fix: Put the phone in a different room. Use a low light lamp and a 15-minute playlist.
• Pitfall: You train hard the next morning out of guilt.
  • Fix: Trust the mini-screen. Save the big session for the next Green day.
• Pitfall: You forget salt.
  • Fix: Salt your breakfast and lunch. Check urine color by midday.

FAQs

• Can I nap longer than 30 minutes
  • Keep it to 20 to 30 minutes. Longer naps can harm night sleep.
• What if I cramp at night
  • Hydrate with electrolytes. Add a salty snack. Gentle mobility. See a clinician if it persists.
• Do I need a wearable
  • No. The three-metric screen works. Wearables help but are not required.

Quick checklist

• Post-match reset complete in 15 minutes

  • Walk and breathe
  • Electrolytes 600 to 900 ml
  • Carbs 0.8 to 1.0 g per kg plus 20 to 30 g protein
  • Cool shower sequence
  • Downshift breathing

• Morning mini-screen logged

  • Grip 3 trials
  • CMJ 3 jumps
  • Restedness and soreness RPE
  • Color set and calculator applied

• Day plan matched to color

  • Green: Quality plus serve volume
  • Yellow: Targets and mobility
  • Red: Flush and rest

• Sleep plan set

  • Caffeine cutoff respected
  • Wind-down playlist and dim lights

Next steps on court

• Load your color-coded primer session and serve targets into OffCourt.
• Run the morning mini-screen for the next week to build your baseline.
• Schedule one simulated night session per week to practice the reset and sleep routine before your next league or tournament.

You do not control the schedule. You do control the 24 hours after. Run the playbook. Show up ready.