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Understanding Tennis Strings (Racket Strings)?
Tennis racket strings are a crucial part of a tennis racket, used to grip the racket surface and impact the ball when struck. Tennis strings are made from various materials such as nylon, Polyester, or Co-Polyester, synthetic fibers, or woven fibers to create different structures. Tennis players can adjust the tension of various types of tennis strings to customize them to their playing style.
Varieties of tennis strings
Natural gut
These tennis strings are crafted from layers of cow gut lining. Professional tennis players often opt for these strings as they provide low string vibration upon ball impact. They also aid players with sensitive elbows. Additionally, they can be strung tightly for better power and ball control.
Due to the costs involved in designing these strings, most recreational players tend to choose more budget-friendly options. Another drawback of natural gut is its durability. It is sensitive to various weather conditions. Moisture is the nemesis of natural gut.
Synthetic gut
Synthetic gut strings are not expensive compared to natural gut strings. These strings are an economical choice for players seeking quality and value at a lower price point. They provide players with durability and power in their shots. There are many types available on the market for players to easily choose from. These tennis strings are relatively common in the sport of tennis.
Nylon strings
Nylon strings are the most widely used type of strings. Tennis players find them more suitable with high resilience. These tennis strings have better and higher-grade constructions compared to single-wrapped strings. A wear-resistant coating is applied to the strings to help prevent the fibers from breaking when the racket is frequently used.
Some examples of nylon strings are Wilson Championship Nylon, Gamma Synthetic Gut, Prince Tournament Nylon, and Babolat Powergy.
Polyester strings
Polyester strings are a popular choice for tennis players because they can provide additional support for topspin shots while still maintaining racket control. These tennis strings lose tension faster than others but provide control, feel, and durability. These strings are for tennis players with high string consumption.
Some examples of polyester strings are Signum Pro PolyPlasma, Head Ultra Tour, and Kirschbaum.
Multifilament strings
These tennis strings are formed from small fibers twisted together to create a string wrapped with an outer layer. These strings are more expensive due to the manufacturing process and technology used to produce them.
Some examples of multifilament strings are Wilson NXT Tour, Head FiberGel, and Kirschbaum Touch Multifibre.
This helpful information will assist you in selecting tennis racket strings more effectively and accurately.
What is Tennis Racket String Tension?
String tension is a concern that many new tennis racket buyers encounter, but most don't know how much they should string. String tension is measured in kilograms or pounds. In the United States, the common unit is pounds, while in other countries, the common unit is kilograms. In this article, the authors will use kilograms. The typical tension for tennis strings ranges from 22kg to 26kg, but you can still request stringing outside of this range if desired.
A racket stringing machine will pull the string with a force equivalent to the number of kilograms you select. A string pulled at 22kg will be looser, softer, and easier to move than at 26kg. Note that when you request stringing at a certain tension (for example, 22kg), the machine will pull the string to 22kg, but the actual result may not always be exactly 22kg. Typically, the actual tension will be lower than your requirement due to installation errors or the nature of the string, environmental factors, etc.
What is the optimal tension for stringing tennis strings (kg/lbs)?
Firstly, determine the string tension allowed by the racket manufacturer. This is the easiest starting point for you to find what suits you best.
Simply check inside your racket's throat and you'll find the recommended string tension by the manufacturer. When developing tennis rackets, all manufacturers test their rackets with actual players to determine the suitable string tension range for players.
While this range is recommended, some players may benefit from slightly higher or lower string tension than recommended.
For example, if your racket's recommended string tension is 55 lbs (25 kg) – 60 lbs (27 kg), then you should start at 58 lbs (26 kg) and see how it feels. Depending on the racket's performance and overall feel, you can adjust the tension up or down according to your preference.
You may need to try a few times to find the tension you like best, but starting in the middle can help you find the suitable tension for tennis strings more quickly.
2 Common Ways to String Tennis Rackets
Currently, there are 2 common ways to string tennis rackets:
The “2 Knot” Stringing Method
2 Knot Tying (2 Knots): This means using only 2 knots to tighten the racket, which is the cross string and the main string connected to each other, ending with 2 knot ties. In the instructions for racket tension and recommendations for the tension of each racket, manufacturers clearly state the specifications: One Piece / No Shared Holes.
The “4 Knot” Stringing Method
4 Knot Tying (4 Knots): This means stringing the racket at a 4 knot tying speed. The main string has 2 knots and the cross string has 2 knots, making a total of 4 knots. In the stringing instructions and tension recommendations for each racket, the manufacturer specifies the details: Two Piece / No Shared Holes.
If you are using a Hybrid string, make sure to string it in the 4 Knot (Tie) method.
In the design of racket handles and Grommet combined with various racket types, manufacturers have designed a wide stringing hole in two types: One Piece and Two Piece.
How does string tension affect tennis technique?
Loose or tight strings can affect your tennis racket and different shots. Thicker strings provide more power. Thicker strings create a smoother ball contact surface, resulting in higher and farther ball rebound (with the same body force).
Tighter strings provide better control. The contact surface is harder, making the ball less 'aided' and the ball will follow the player's intention more accurately. Additionally, the spin factor is also a concern for many players when they want to know if string tension affects spin.
To date, scientific experiments have not yet provided a conclusive conclusion on this relationship. In many experiments, the spin motion of a loosely strung racket is similar to the spin motion of a tautly strung racket. However, many players believe that a taut, straight racket provides better spin.
Other considerations when stringing tennis rackets
The tension of tennis strings also depends on factors other than your technique:
The stiffness of the tennis racket: If the racket is too stiff, with strings too tight, you may experience hand pain if you hit the ball without hitting the sweetspot as usual.
String Density: A racket with lower string density will provide more spin and power, so if the strings are too tight, it may be overloaded.
String Type: Tennis strings have different characteristics such as thickness, type of string (natural gut, synthetic gut, poly, etc.).
Posted by: Ha Bui
Keywords: Types of tennis strings | how to string a racket correctly
