Types of string.
Most people put a lot of effort into choosing their Tennis racket, but little seem to give the strings they play with a second thought. However, in reality your strings can have more influence on your game than your racket.
Below is a comprehensive Guide to tennis strings to help you choose the right strings for you next time you wish to restring your racket. If you have any questions about strings this page does not answer don't hesitate to Contact us.
Natural Gut - made of cow gut natural gut has superb playability and tension stability. However, natural gut is heavily affected by weather conditions and is much more expensive than all other types of string. Therefore I would not recommend this string to club players as it simply is not worth the expense.
Synthetic gut/Multifiliment - Refers to a string that attempts to imitate natural gut, often made of Nylon. These are the most frequently used tennis string among club players. These strings offer a soft feel and offer good power. They can be made of one strand, or with a Multifiliment construction (many fibres twisted together) to bring the feel more in-line with to natural gut. However, they have poor durability so a full synthetic gut/multifiliment set up is not recommended to frequent string breakers.
Polyester - Polyester Strings are becoming increasingly popular in modern tennis at all levels. They are the latest material being used to increase the durability of strings. Many are now made either textured or in hexagon shapes to increase the bite on the ball for better spin generation. I would recommend this type of string to heavy hitters who frequently break strings or really wish to get better spin on the ball, but those who suffer with tennis elbow might wish to stay clear.
Hybrid strings - a hybrid string set up is just that, a hybrid of different strings in the mains (vertical strings) and crosses (horizontal strings) of the racket. the Idea of a hybrid string set up is to get the qualities of both strings. For example if you have polyester mains and synthetic gut crosses you get the benefit of the durability and spin production of the polyester but still the feel of the synthetic gut. I recommend this string to the all round player who plays an all court game (volleys and baseline play).
String Gauge
before getting your racket restrung you need to consider the gauge of string you want. The gauge referes to the thickness of the string. The general rule is that thinner strings offer better control and spin but thicker strings offer better durability. tennis strings are either measured in gauge rating or mm. Below is a list of common tennis Gauges. The numbers do vary slightly with different manufacturers but normally are near to the below figures. Most players find 16 Gauge to be sufficient.
15 - 1.40mm
16 - 1.30mm
17 - 1.25mm
18 - 1.20mm
19 - 1.15mm
String Tension
The tension of your strings is a very personal matter. The general rule is 'higher string tension = more control' and 'lower string tension = more power'. However, the range your racket should be strung in varies depending on head size and frame width. Tension is also relative to string type, for example polyester strings are much harder and less elastic than synthetic gut so need to be strung significantly lower. The recommended tension is usually displayed on the racket frame although some manufactures or older rackets do not (be aware that this range is usually in reference to synthetic gut strings, it will be extremely tight if used with polyester).
How often should I restring my racket?
It is important to note that tennis strings do no last forever and lose their tension as you play with them. Although there is no exact way to judge when a racket needs a restring the general rule of thumb is to restring your racket in a year the same number of times you play in a week (so 3 times a week would be 3 times a year). Obviously this is just a guide line and some may wish to restring more frequently than this as their strings lose tension, or others may be less bothered by the strings tension loss.
How can I tell if they need restringing then?
There are two reasons for changing strings. the first is simple, they break. However, the other two require a certain degree of judgement. People often use the phrase 'dead' or unplayable' to describe a string that has lost its tension. Basically by this they mean the string has either lost all its pop as the strings have been stretched to the point where they lose their elastic properties or they drop tension to such a degree that the player gets no control over the ball as the strings act like a trampoline. The point at which this becomes a problem is rather dependant on how much the player is bothered about tension loss in their racket. But as mentioned above most strings will start to lose their properties if played with for more than half a year.
Is there any way to make my strings last longer?
There is little you can do to your strings to make they last longer. String savers are the only option, but these only tighten the strings a little rather than help with the loss of string properties. However, how you store your racket can have a difference. It is generally believed that avoiding storing your rackets in a warm place will prolong the tension loss process. For example one of the worst places to leave your racket is in the warm boot of a car!