How to Choose the Correct Strings for your Tennis Racket

I will be explaining to you how to choose strings for your tennis racket. You will learn to choose a string that suits your game, and how to decide on the right tension. To keep things simple, I’m going to touch on five things: string pattern (I’ve already talked a bit about this in my previous video: How to Choose a Tennis Racket), type of string, string texture, string gauge (thickness) and string tension.

String Patterns

First off, string pattern. The less strings there are on a racquet, the more power and spin there is but less control. The opposite can be said for a racquet with more strings. Common string pattern include 16x18, 16x19 and 18x20. A 16x18 would give you the most spin and power, while the 18x20 would give you the most control. A 16x19 string pattern gives a good compromise of the two. I used a racquet with an 18x20 string pattern for about five years and loved it. However, I began to desire a bit more power along with the control from a tight string pattern. I’ve since changed to a 16x19 string pattern and love it!

Strings play a huge and vital role in how a racquet feels. Many players don’t really look into what strings go on their racquets, and some just don’t care. You don’t need to know absolutely everything about strings, but you should at least understand a little bit about what types of strings there are.

Type of Strings

I’m just going to cover one main type of string. Before that, I will just mention a couple of other types of string. Natural gut is the oldest and probably the nicest feeling string you could use, but it is expensive. Truth be told, as fun as it is to play with, it is just too expensive for me and not durable enough. It’s the only string made from natural materials and it costs more than $50 for just one set of string.

Synthetic gut (also known as nylon) is the cheapest string out there. It has slightly better durability than natural gut but doesn’t provide as much playability as natural gut does. Synthetic gut is good for a beginner who doesn’t really play much and wants a bit of extra power.

The main string I want to talk about is polyester (or co-polyester). It’s slightly more expensive than synthetic gut but has great durability. Polyester strings are control oriented and very durable. Hence, they are the most popular choice for tennis players around the world.

I can shout out a couple of brands that I think are brilliant, but it all comes down to exactly what strings you feel comfortable with. I personally use Solinco Hyper G and Solinco Tour Bite. Volkl Cyclone is also a fantastic cheap polyester string that feels fantastic.

String Texture

Let's move on to string texture. Most strings are offered in a smooth round configuration, but some strings are textured (rough). This simply means the string is in the shape of a hexagon or octagon or whatever the company makes it to be. Some strings even have textured variants of the normal rounded smooth string. A textured string provides more spin, and is good for racquets with tighter string patterns. I used a textured string on my 18x20 but now use a more rounded string on my 16x19.

String Gauge

String gauge refers to the thickness of the string. This is important because it affects how the string plays and feels. Gauges range from 15 to 19, the former being the thickest and the latter being the thinnest. A thin string provides more spin but less durability, and vice versa for a thick string. You could probably get a bit more power from a thinner string too.

String Tension

Lastly, let’s talk a bit about string tension. This simply refers to how tight your strings are when they are put on the racquet. The tighter the tension is, the more control you get, but the racquet will feel stiffer and you will feel more feedback on off-center hits.

Lower string tensions have more power and more comfort, but less control. It comes down to personal preference. Most racquet manufacturers recommend string tensions between 45-60 lbs, depending on the racquet. Always check the specific racquets’ recommended string tension range before stringing, and if you’re unsure, just choose the tension that is slightly below the middle of the recommended range. For example, if the recommended tension is 45-60 lbs, I would recommended stringing it around 50 lbs. If you want more control and feel, 53 lbs is suitable. Just be careful as anything above 55 lbs is very tight and may hurt your arm!

Recommendations

Just to recap, polyester strings are highly recommended due to cost and durability. Choose a string based on what you want out of it, and don’t be afraid to keep trying different types of strings!

I use a Yonex Ezone 98 with Solinco Hyper G 16G 1.30mm at 58lbs.

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