Hi Everyone,
As well as being the Clubhouse Manager and a part-time instructor, I also string racquets here at Thorncliffe Park Tennis Club! I thought I would share some info about tennis strings, as there are so many options these days. Let's break it down into the basics.
- String Types:
- Natural Gut: Best feel, most expensive, susceptible to moisture. The softest, most comfortable string for those with tennis elbow or wrist problems.
- Synthetic Gut: Good all-around, balance of power, control, durability. The most inexpensive.
- Poly or co-polymer: Durable, with the most spin potential (topspin), can be harsh on the arm.
- Multifilament: Softer feel, good power, popular for comfort and for those with injuries.
- String Gauge:
- Thinner (17/18): More power/better feel, less durable.
- Thicker (15/16): More control/less feel. More durable.
- Metric equivalents for string gauge are generally 1.25mm = 17G, 1.30 mm = 16G.
- String Tension:
- Higher: More control, less power, less comfort. With tighter strings, you may get less lift on the ball and may find yourself driving the ball into the net.
- Lower: More power, less control, more comfort. You will get more lift on the ball with looser strings, but may hit the ball out more often.
- Experiment to find your sweet spot. With polys, most (including the pros) use 10% less tension due to the stiffness of the string. At full tension, poly strings can be hard on the arm.
- Stringing Frequency:
- Restring every 10-20 hours of play. A more general rule is to restring as often in year as you play in a week. Play 4 times a week? Restring every 3 months. Note that poly strings will generally lose tension more quickly than other strings and you may want to restring more often.
- Hybrid Stringing:
- Combine types (e.g., polyester main strings, multifilament cross strings). This is often done to reduce the harshness of poly strings while still retaining the ability to generate a lot of spin/topspin.
Key Takeaways:
- Synthetic gut (mid-range gauge like 16) and moderate tension is a good place to start.
- Experiment to find what feels best.
- Listen to your body - avoid arm discomfort.
- Consult with your friendly neighbourhood stringer (me) to get advice!