Stringing Guidelines
Do it right:
Find a qualified stringer to look after your rackets, or take a specialist course and learn how to do the restringing
yourself
How do I choose the right string?
It depends on what type of player you are and what you can afford. If you play three times a week, consider
nylon synthetic gut. This type of string can last for about three months and is happy in the rain – expect to pay
around £16 for a restring.
If you need a lot of playability and added arm comfort, then a nylon multifilament will help. The bundles of tiny
fibres copy the playability of natural gut and absorb more shock, but expect to pay an extra £4 for a top-quality
multifilament string.
Players, who blast the ball at every opportunity, perhaps have a heavy topspin or just tend to break strings too
often, may benefit from a move to a polyester string. Use the poly in the mains (verticals) only, with a softer nylon
string for the crosses, as the poly is a very stiff material. For that same reason, polyester strings are not good for the
very young or senior players.
Natural gut is a string that all players should try at least once. Its labour-intensive production makes it expensive,
but you will not find a more powerful or comfortable string. Natural gut absorbs moisture, causing the fibres to
swell and unwrap, although modern strings now have a protective polyurethane varnish. So if your wallet can take
the strain and you tend not to be found playing in a downpour, then give it a go. Stringing with natural gut takes
a bit of extra care and some stringers will not be comfortable using it. Expect to part with around £25.
What difference does string tension make?
Think of jumping up and down on a trampoline. If the bed is soft, then you will gain lots of height, your feet sinking
deep. If you stray to the edges, you will not go so high and your feet will not linger on the bed. This is the same for
the ball on the strings. A soft stringbed will propel the ball back with almost as much speed, while a tighter
stringbed will do the job quicker and take away some of the ball speed. The longer the ball spends on the
stringbed, the less control you have over where the ball ends up, as the racket is always moving. A tighter
stringbed gets rid of the ball quicker and so gives less error on ball placement. Low tensions are better for sore
arms and shoulders as there will be less shock and the arm has to work less hard. Take the time to experiment with
varying tensions so that you find the tensions that suit your own game.
How often should I have my racket restrung?
String molecules within the tensioned fibres are always moving apart, so even if you do not play any games, the
tension will still drop. A professional player will play just one match with a freshly strung racket and then have it
restrung for the next match because he or she can feel that slight drop in performance. For the average club
player, the old rule is to restring as many times per year as how many times per week you play, so perhaps every
three months at least.
Never wait for the strings to break, as by that time they may have gone well beyond their useful life and be
adding undue strain to your arm and shoulder. Like plastic garden furniture, nylon strings deteriorate in the light
and become brittle and less elastic, so ask your stringer to keep a record of when your racket is next due for a
service.
Can rackets be altered in the way they feel?
All rackets have three basic measurements that can be altered – weight, balance and dynamic weight. The flex
of the frame cannot be altered. A racket may feel heavy or light simply by the way the weight is distributed
around the frame, so a competent racket technician can add weight to alter how the racket feels and plays.
Weight cannot be taken off, only added. If you have moved to a new racket that you like but wish it played
more like the old racket, then if the new racket is lighter, you can get it customised to feel just like your old
favourite.
Can I learn to do my own restrings?
Yes. Most stringers start out for reasons of economy, maybe looking after the family’s restrings and then for friends
and club members. Although you can quickly learn how to restring, it is best to attend a two-day Club Stringer
course. This equips you with the skills, knowledge and confidence to tackle any racket servicing task or even start
a small stringing business. Visit www.ukrsa.com for full details of cost and dates. The UKRSA Club Stringer course
also attracts 12 coaching credits from the LTA.
How should I take care of my rackets and strings?
Rackets and strings are high-performance equipment, so never leave the racket in the car boot to freeze or fry,
and avoid the couch or backseat where someone WILL sit on them! Store at room temperature, not buried by
anything heavy and never near a hot radiator. Keep separate from damp towels or clothing. Grips can be
cleaned with warm soapy water and left overnight to dry. Make a mark on each racket so that you can know
which is which for restringing. One top Great Britain tennis player supports Chelsea and names each racket after
Chelsea players. His favourite racket last year was Drogba!
I think I have tennis elbow. What should I do?
Tennis elbow is often the result of unusual repetitive tasks such as fitting kitchen units, overzealous gardening, or
even switching rackets or strings. Never attempt to ‘play through’ the injury as this will make things a lot worse.
Seek advice from your doctor or sports physios to get the inflammation reduced, and then look at the racket and
strings.
A good weight range is around 295-310g. Having a balance point at mid-point or towards the handle is helpful. A
soft multifilament string such as RAB Sensor Fibre or Wilson Sensation, strung at around 48-50 lbs depending on the
head size, is advisable, and a large head size will offer more power and less shock without the arm having to work
so hard. As large a grip as is comfortable will ease the strain. Vibration dampeners and shock absorbers have
minimal benefit but are worth using. Try to develop a fuller swing so that the arm and shoulder are better
protected. Playing indoors can be very helpful, in avoiding cold, wet courts and heavy balls.
Why do strings break?
Strings break when they cannot stretch or when they abrade against each other. When the ball hits the middle of
the stringbed, the surrounding strings stretch and take on the job of catapulting the ball back. But if the ball hits
near to the racket edge, the strings next to the frame have nowhere to stretch into, and exceed their elastic limit.
When the mains (verticals) move against the crosses, the weaker of the two will gradually wear away until the
fibres cannot take any more punishment and break. Multifilaments have thousands of tiny fibres inside that will get
furry before they actually break. In cold weather, strings and rackets are stiffer and so you can expect strings to
pop quicker in cold conditions, especially with a heavy, wet ball.
How can I check that my racket has been restrung correctly?
Seek out a qualified stringer who has invested in achieving a level of competence and can offer sound advice.
Badly strung rackets may end up distorted, so compare the finished shape with an identical model. Look across
the stringbed and you will notice a pattern where the strings interlock. This should be an unbroken pattern;
otherwise there will be a misweave. Nudge the strings around with your fingers and see if any appear to be less
tight or loose. On most rackets the strings will run parallel to each other – any variance may mean strings in the
wrong holes. Ask the stringer about some of the issues raised here, and if there is a blank look, then suspect the
worst. Have a hit and check for excessive string movement or vibration. Never be afraid to return and ask
questions, as a good stringer will always be happy to explain things.
Do I need more than one racket? And if so, why?
Strings are always deteriorating, performance slipping away, so it’s always good to have a spare identical racket,
especially if you have to leave one with the stringer. It is not a good idea to have to borrow a friend’s racket for a
match. By all means experiment with as many rackets as you want to, but when you settle on your eventual
choice, stick to that for serious play. As mentioned above, your collection of rackets can be matched for weight,
balance and swing weight.
Never wait for the strings to break, as by that time they may have gone well beyond their useful life and be
adding undue strain to your arm and shoulder.
Recommendations
Types and Tensions
Beginners/ improvers
Beginners will be in the process of learning the various strokes, so will initially lack swing speed and power. For
them, lower tension and a soft nylon string will allow their arms and shoulders to acclimatise to the new work
demands and prevent conditions such as the dreaded Tennis Elbow or damaged rotator cuff in the shoulder.
Intermediate/ club players
As beginners progress into the intermediate stages, then they will probably stay with the same string but will be
seeking more control, so adding a few lbs to the string tension would definitely be helpful.
Advanced players/ pros
Advanced players will lean towards the higher string tensions as they have developed a game that is reliant on
more exacting ball placement.
Senior (elderly) players
As this experience may also coincide with added years (happens to us all!), so a soft nylon multifilament or even
natural gut at a lowish tension of around 52lbs will be of enormous benefit as this will absorb more shock and
vibration.
Room for one or two more?? It’s always useful to have a spare, identically strung racket in your bag, just in case!
