Choosing the Right Strings for Your Tennis Racket: A Comprehensive Guide - Exposed Magazine (2023)

FAQs

How do I choose a string category for my tennis racket? ›

Tennis strings are made of natural gut, nylon (multifilament), or polyester (monofilament). Natural gut and nylon strings are best for beginner to intermediate players due to their power and comfort properties, while polyester is best for advanced players due to its stiffer, control-oriented properties.

Typically, players who generate their own power will string with a higher tension and vice versa for a beginner. If you don't know what tension to string with, we recommend you choose the the middle tension and then you can make adjustments from there.

As an example, 16 gauge string has a diameter in the range 1.26-1.34mm, whereas 17 gauge will be in the range 1.16-1.24mm. As a result, 16 gauge string will be more durable, whereas 17 gauge will offer more feel.

Measure out the string: You'll need about 40 feet of string for a tennis racquet, which most string packages come with. But if you are getting string from a reel (which is more cost-efficient), measure out ~40 feet and clip it at a diagonal angle (helps later to put strings through the grommets).

Modern tennis strings fall under 5 main categories: synthetic gut, multi-filament, natural gut, polyester and hybrid.

Typical tensions range from around 40-65lbs, but most players' tensions fall well within that range of extremes! Generally speaking, professional stringers tend to advise players to string their rackets as low as possible whilst still being able to maintain control of the ball.

When it comes to the actual tension, most manufacturers recommend stringing elastic materials like nylon or natural gut around 50-60 lbs. If using a stiffer string like polyester, drop the tension to avoid arm injuries.

010 gauge is the most commonly-used string gauge set. However, you again need to consider the source; Does the player favor a Stratocaster or Les Paul-style of guitar? This makes a big difference because the LP's shorter scale-length will make the .

Thinner, high gauge strings tend to produce more power and more spin, but break a lot quicker than thicker, low gauge strings…

Difference Between 16×19 and 18×20 String Pattern

In simple terms, an 18×20 string pattern contains an extra main string on each side of the racket head, and one extra cross string, in comparison to a 16×19 pattern. The 18×20 pattern is therefore described as more 'dense', as the strings are closer together.

Do you start tennis stringing from top or bottom? ›

If your racket has six holes at the throat, you can start pulling the strings through from the bottom side of the head. If there are eight holes, you should pull the strings through from the top of the head.

Before you get back on the court, you should replace your strings. If you take your game seriously, restring your racket regularly every 10 to 15 hours of play if you use polyester. You can add a couple more hours if you use nylon or multi-fibre string.

A reel is roughly 10 - 18 sets of string in one continuous roll. It is generally 330 to 720 feet long and can string up to 22 racquets, depending on total length.

Synthetic guts are usually cheaper in price and offer a good middle ground between natural gut softness and co-polyester firmness. Synthetic Gut strings are often called nylon strings, though the constructions have gotten much more sophisticated by using different materials to enhance playability.

Multifilament strings offer more comfort and power than solid core synthetic gut strings, but with slightly less durability and tension maintenance. Polyester or Co-polyester has very little power and it is extremely stiff (even the “soft” polys) thus not very arm friendly, but offers great durability and control.

The longer strings sit around, the more tension will be lost and they become dead over time. This affect is similar to that of a rubber band; as time goes on, it looses its pop and becomes mushy. This dead feeling will promote a lack of feel, especially for experienced players.

If the tension is too tight, the fabric can pucker and the bobbin thread may be visible on the top side of the fabric. If the tension is too loose, you may see visible loops on the top side of the fabric and the spool thread might be visible on the underside.

Conclusion: Lower tensions are more suited for beginners who do not have good hitting technique and require more power in their game. Conclusion: Higher tensions are more suited for advanced players who have good hitting technique and require more control in their game.

Another note that we want to point out is when a string tension is too high for you, it will normally cause vibration to your hand and arm, just like what an over-stiff racket will do to you, especially when you miss the sweet spot. Over the time, this will cause injury to your hand and arm.

Thread the string through two holes at one end and then through two at the other end, so from the throat to the head. Once you've done that, hold the two ends together so you know it's even on either side. Put both strings into the tension head so you can place the clamp where it needs to do.

Does higher string tension give more control and spin? ›

Because tighter strings produce less velocity, the ball will land shorter in the court. To make up for this, the player might swing harder generating more spin. In this case, it is not tighter strings that produce more spin, but the player's response to tighter strings.

String tension is also important when it comes to the feel of a racket. Higher tension can make the strings feel stiff, while lower tension can make them feel softer. Players can use this to their advantage, as they can customize their racket to suit their own game.

What is L1, L2, L3 in tennis racket sizes? That just refers to the size of the handle on the racket. The larger the number (L5) the larger the handle on the racket. The smaller the number, of course, the smaller the handle. In general, we recommend ladies should choose grip sizes between L1 and L2.

Stiffness is measured by how much a string stretches when it is quickly impacted, as in a tennis hit. The more it stretches, the softer it is, and the less it stretches, the stiffer it is (measured in units of how many pounds of force it takes to stretch the string one inch).

To calculate how much tension is on a guitar string: Measure your guitar's scale length in inches. Multiply this length by 2 and multiply the product by the frequency you want to this string to vibrate at. Square this value and multiply it by the unit weight of your guitar string in pounds per inch.

As a rule, we recommend you start out playing using light gauge strings. These strings have a bit more forgiveness to them, and will help you break your fingers in slowly while getting used to the feel of them.

In short, light gauge guitar strings are fundamentally easier to play than heavy gauge strings. And so if you are looking to hit big, Albert King style string bends and play with a fast B.B. King style trilling vibrato, then lighter string gauges could make a great choice.

Which Pro Tennis Players Use Polys? The vast majority of professional tennis players use polyester tennis strings. In fact, players that don't have become the exception. However, they're frequently in use as part of a hybrid string setup.

The best string gauge for most electric guitar players is either 9 or 10 gauge, and for acoustic guitars it is 12 gauge. The sets use the high E string as a reference, which is the thinnest string in the set.

Thinner strings are easier to bend on an electric guitar, but they tend to sound brighter. Thinner strings are also more susceptible to breaking when playing or tuning. Thicker strings will put more tension on your guitar's neck due to the extra tension needed to bring the thicker material up to pitch.

Is it easier to bend on thinner strings? ›

Thinner strings are easier to bend and thus make electric guitar string bending considerably easier. String gauge is the thickness of a string based on its diameter. The string gauges for guitars range between extra super light and heavy. The heavier the gauge, the thicker the string and vice versa.

18 x 20 String Patterns

This pattern means there are 18 mains (vertical) and 20 crosses (horizontal) which gives the player more control and better string durability. This string pattern is denser enabling you to hit more strings on impact which provides a much more stable shot.

For any racquet technician, working with two shorter pieces of string is easier than working with one longer piece of string. As mentioned above, the strongest point on a racquet is the yoke. Weaving cross strings toward the yoke ensures the stress is directed toward the stronger part of the frame.

Tennis strings are made of natural gut, nylon (multifilament), or polyester (monofilament). Natural gut and nylon strings are best for beginner to intermediate players due to their power and comfort properties, while polyester is best for advanced players due to its stiffer, control-oriented properties.

There's no rule of thumb, players can usually tell when their overgrip needs to be changed by the look and feel of it. Still, it's probably a good rule to change your overgrip as many times a month as you play in a week. So, if you play twice a week, you'll want to change your overgrip at least twice a month.

If your heart is set on experimenting with different tensions for mains and crosses (which is totally fine if that's something you want to do), my advice would be to keep the tension for your mains and crosses within about 3-4 pounds of each other.

That's because 40 feet of string will be enough material to string one racket (not a super oversize head). If you buy a reel of string, you'll have to measure out 40 feet of string for each racket. It's more cost effective to buy string in a reel, but it's a commitment to knowing you really like that string.

Multifilament strings offer more comfort and power than solid core synthetic gut strings, but with slightly less durability and tension maintenance. Polyester or Co-polyester has very little power and it is extremely stiff (even the “soft” polys) thus not very arm friendly, but offers great durability and control.

Multifilament tennis strings are softer than synthetic gut, but not as soft as natural gut. They offer players a great, more affordable alternative to natural gut. Multifilament tennis strings have similar characteristics: higher tensions for more control and lower tensions for more power.

With greater string movement, the 16x19 will generate a naturally higher arc with more spin potential. An 18x20 frame typically produces a flatter shot with a more linear trajectory. It would seem that with deeper reservoirs of power and spin, 16x19 frames would be the slam dunk choice.

What string patterns do the pros use? ›

The most common string patterns

18×20 is the most control-oriented string pattern, mainly targeted towards advanced players. Racquets such as the Prestige Pro 2021, Blade V8, Tecnifibre TF40. 16×20 is a bit more common. Used in racquets like: Yonex VCORE 95, Babolat Pure Aero VS, Toalson Forty-Love.

A good recommended tension for a natural gut or multifilament string would be between 55-62lbs.

Generally speaking, you should pick a polyester string if you're looking for more control in your game, and if you're hitting with spin. If you're looking for power and comfort, a mono/multifilament is the better choice.

Perhaps the closest synthetic string to natural gut are multifilament strings made from high-grade nylon. Multifilament strings are produced by weaving together thousands of microfibers, which results in a string with similar characteristics to natural gut, including excellent playability and a soft feel.

There are two main reasons why professional tennis players still use natural gut strings: Natural gut holds tension better than any other string. The feel of natural gut strings are yet to be copied into a multifilament string.

Multifilament strings are softer for your arm and will give you more free power. Those are the benefits, the cons are that you won't get the same durability, spin potential, and control.