Many players don’t know how to decide between the myriad of choices for stringing their racquets. How do you know when to have your racquet restrung? What string should you choose? What tension is recommended for the racquet and for you?
With regard to timing, more experienced players may make the decision to have their racquet restrung based on feel. As you play and over time, the string tension will decrease; some players sense this and know it is time for a tune-up. Others don’t notice the gradual decline but will break a string or start to see signs of wear such as fraying strings.
If you play with strings that don’t give you any sign of wear and you aren’t noticing any decrease in tension, you may need to rely on other recommendations. For example, if you can’t remember the last time you had your racquet restrung, it’s probably time. Another suggestion is that you restring your racquet, at a minimum, the same number of times per year as you play each week.
Assuming it’s time to restring, how do you decide what string and tension to use? With regard to tension, every racquet comes with a suggested tension range, so you really just need to choose something within that range. For example, if you need more control, you may want to string your racquet at a higher tension, whereas players wanting more power may want to string their racquet at a lower tension.
As far as the choice of string goes, the options are seemingly endless. Thus, we suggest that you either talk directly to a certified racquet technician or provide some basic information when you bring your racquet in to be restrung.
At the RVC Tennis Club, we have a certified racquet technician who can help you make the right decision for you, your racquet and your game. We suggest that, if you don’t know exactly what you want or are considering making a change, you convey some basic information when dropping off your racquet. For example, do you want more power or control? Do you break strings often? Do you hit with a lot of topspin? How often do you play? What level player are you? And, finally, do you struggle with any ailments such as tennis elbow?
With this information, our certified racquet technician can make a recommendation to suit your needs. If you are interested in having your racquet restrung, you can drop your racquet off at the FITshop between 8:00am-6:00pm Monday-Friday or 9:00am-4:00pm on Saturdays and Sundays. If you have any questions, please call the shop at (603) 643-3627.
