What String Tension should I use in my tennis racket?

8

min read

Overall, your string tension is just as important as the type of string you use.

How tight or loose the strings are pulled in the frame is just as important as what string you use in your tennis racket.

While it can seem even more complicated than choosing your string, there are three easy questions to guide you.

These questions build on one another, ensuring you determine the best string tension for your game.

1. What string material are you using? Are you using nylon/gut string, polyester string, or a hybrid of half and half?

In general, beginners should play with nylon strings or natural gut if you don't mind the cost. Additionally, intermediate players can start to blend with hybrids, and advanced players can take to the court with a full polyester bed.

When it comes to tension, the general rule is to string elastic materials like nylon or natural gut around 50-60lbs, which we'll use as our base recommended tension.

Therefore, if you use a stiffer string material like polyester, we'd recommend stringing looser to avoid arm injuries.

Here are the tension ranges we'd aim for the first time you get your racket strung.

Nylon/Gut - 50-60lbs (22.5 - 27kg)
Hybrid - 46-56lbs (21-25.5kg) - Because polyester is a stiffer material, string 2lbs (1kg) looser than nylon. e.g. - Poly at 51lbs (23kg), Nylon at 53lbs (24kg)
Polyester - 44-54lbs (20-24.5kg)

2. What benefit or advantage are you looking for? Do you want your strings to provide more power or more control?

Typically, beginner players with slower racket-head speeds want their strings to add more power to their shots, while advanced players with faster racket-head speeds want their strings to provide more control over their shots.

Furthermore, the higher your string tension, the more control you'll have, while the looser your string tension, the more power.

Here are the above tension ranges again, but adjusted for power or control.

Nylon/gut - 50-60lbs (22.5-27kg)

Power - 50-55lbs (22.5-25kg)
Control - 56-60lbs (25.5-27kg)

Hybrid - 46-56lbs (21-25.5kg)

Power - 46-51lbs (21-23kg)
Control - 52-56lbs (23.5-25.5kg)

Polyester - 44-54lbs (20-24.5kg)

Power - 44-49lbs (20-22kg)
Control - 50-54lbs (22.5-24.5kg)

3. Are you a Beginner, Intermediate, or Advanced player?

In summary, your skill level on the court is the final question that needs to be addressed to nail down your ideal string tension. Moreover, those tension ranges are again narrowed down even further for each playing level.

Nylon/Gut - 50-60lbs (22.5-27kg)