When do you need to change your tennis string? There are a number of so called rules, like 'string your racket yearly the same amount of times you play per week'. That is not exactly correct, since player A can play two hours per week, while player B only plays half an hour. Even if player A would get their tennis racket restrung twice a year, this would not be enough. By the way, in the first 24 hours after stringing, the tennis strings usually lose ± 10% of their tension (the amount of tension loss depends on the type of tennis string)!
A lot of players think they only need to change a tennis string when it breaks. They are often even proud they succeed in playing with the same tennis strings for a year or longer! Tennis strings which are too loose, will result in less control and the player will then change their game or stroke!
The best indicator to see whether or not you should replace a tennis string (except for when it breaks of course) is the amount of tension that is still on the tennis racket. You can estimate this more or less. The tension of a tennis racket can be measured with an ERT300 or a Stringmeter. With these instruments, you can measure the tension of a tennis racket, which allows you to determine whether or not the tennis strings should be replaced.
"Has your stringing lost more than 30% of its tension? Restring", dixit David Bne, CEO of US Racquet Stringers Association USRSA.
One of the biggest challenges for a tennis racket stringer is dealing with a customer's breaking of tennis strings in a correct manner. If a player indicates his tennis strings break too quickly, you can suggest the following options, starting with number 1 and keeping option 5 as the last one:
- (if applicable) Advise a thicker version of the same tennis string
- advise using string savers; string savers lengthen the lifespan of a tennis string
- advise using a nylon tennis string
- advise using a polyester tennis string
- and lastly: advise using a hybrid tennis string
More information:
Stringing guide
Stringing video
Why are tennis strings important?
Types of tennis strings
Tennis string thickness
The correct tennis string tension
The ideal tennis string
Why string yourself?