How to String Your New Racquet

So you’ve just bought a new tennis racquet and you want to know what strings to put in it. For some, this can feel like a high-risk proposition. You’ve just spent $2-300 on a brand new racquet and you don’t want to ruin it with the wrong string setup. Well, don’t worry, I got you covered with some concrete solutions depending on your playing experience, level, playstyle and preferences!

In this article, we are going to go over some different approaches you can take to find the perfect string setup for your new racquet.

Beginners

So first up, if you are new to tennis, maybe this is your first tennis racquet, or your first “real” tennis racquet, the solution is simpleGo with a cheap nylon string. It’s not that you don’t “deserve” the expensive string, it's that the differences between the cheaper strings and the more expensive strings are really tough to distinguish. Many advanced players still prefer cheaper nylons to expensive ones for their superior durability and slightly crisper feel.

I would mainly be looking at synguts, or single core nylon strings, like Prince’s SynGut with Duraflex, Head PPS or Wilson SynGut. And for tension, I think 50lbs or 22.5kg is a perfect place to start.

Note that nylon strings should not be confused with polyester strings. If you are a beginner, avoid polyester like the plague. It’ll play like garbage for you.

Everyone Else

So if this is your second, third, or maybe even 10th time getting a new racquet, you’ve got two main ways of proceeding. The first option is to string in the exact same way that you strung your previous racquet. Same string, same gauge, same tension. This will help you isolate the variables so you can really get to know your new racquet. That way, you can understand all the quirks and features that your new racquet brings to the table, so you aren’t trying to guess if the changes in feel or performance are caused by the new string setup or the new racquet. The other way that you can proceed requires you to have demo’d the racquet you’ve just bought.

Many tennis shops, both online and brick and mortar, will let you demo the racquet before you buy it. These demo’s will come strung with whatever the shop has on hand. Some shops, like Courtside Sports, will have standardized string setups depending on the racquet’s target market. So if you demo’d the racquet, and you liked how it played, including the strings that were included in the demo, I recommend simply stringing with the same strings and tension as your demo. It likely won’t feel exactly the same, as your demo probably had old strings, but it’ll be the closest you can get to the setup you fell in love with.

The real hard part about stringing your new racquet comes after your first string job. You’ve gotten to know your new tennis racquet. You’ll have a better idea of what you like about it, as well as what could be improved going forward. From here, there are 3 different variables that you can adjust when it comes to stringing. You can adjust the string tension, the string gauge (or thickness) and finally you can adjust the string type.

Tension

So what exactly happens when you change the tension? Typically, we are told that you increase your tension for more control and you decrease the tension for more power. In general, this is true, but we can be more specific than that. Tension helps control the launch angle off which the ball leaves the stringbed. This determines the height the ball will travel over the net, as well as the depth you’ll hit into the court.

Increasing the tension will reduce the ballpocketing affect, also sometimes called the trampoline effect, which lower the launch angle. This means that higher tensions will yield less depth in the court, a lower trajectory over the net and a shorter dwell time for the ball on your strings. This is good if you are finding yourself missing long and can help increase your directional control.

Decreasing tension will have the opposite effect. It can help you get the ball over the net if you are missing short, or penetrate the court more easily if your balls are landing too shallow inside the court. Lower tensions will result in a longer dwell time, with a higher trajectory over the net and easier access to depth.

When it comes to adjusting your tension, I recommend doing so in 3-5lbs increments so you can really feel the difference.

The next thing you can change is your string gauge.

Gauge

Most tennis strings will come in a variety of thicknesses, typical 16, 16L, 17 and 18 are available, but different manufacturers will assign these gauges to different actual thicknesses. For example, Babolat’s 17 gauge strings are 1.25mm in diameter, while Solinco’s 1.25mm strings are called 16L. Because of this, I prefer to talk about gauge in terms of millimeters. You can usually find strings between 1.20mm and 1.30mm, however, there are options as thin as 1.05mm and as thick as 1.38mm.

The main appeal of thicker strings is that they are more durable. However, thicker means there’s more material, which means more weight. So if you find your racquet to feel slightly too heavy, one potential option is to choose a thinner string to shed a few grams in the hoop. I’ve found that thicker strings also carry a lower launch angle which increases the sensations of control. Thinner strings often carry lower coefficients of string-on-string friction, meaning that it’s easier to generate spin with them.

The last thing you can change is the type of string you choose.

String Type

This could be as simple of a change as going from a version of a string to a different version, like going from Tour Bite to Tour Bite Soft, or as serious as completely changing the material, say going from polyester to natural gut. This is the most complex and subjective change you can make to your string setup.

Even though it can have a huge impact on your experience playing tennis, it's important to have fun with it. I’ve worked with 5.0+ players who can barely tell the differences between different polyesters. They don’t care, they just wanted the cheapest thing because they know they can win no matter what. I’ve also worked with 3.0’s who freak out at the tiniest changes to their string setup.

I personally just try to have fun with it. I like to enjoy the different feelings that different strings produce. If you drink wine or craft beer, I think the whole experience is very similar to trying different strings. It doesn’t matter the price or type, but drink enough drinks and you will get drunk. With strings, they are all capable of hitting the ball in. But I’m sure you have your preferences, whether you like complex reds or sweet whites, you might find that you like crisper poly’s or more muted nylons. It also doesn’t really matter if the string is actually making you play better or just giving you some placebo-based confidence that helps you enjoy your time more on court.

The tricky part is figuring out where to go next.

So What Should You Do?

How do you know if the string you play with is supposed to be soft or stiff? Crisp and responsive or muted and plush? What are you supposed to do if you want more ball bite?  What if you want more snap back or maybe you want more directional control?

As also, how do these adjustments exist in relation to your previous racquet setup?

Going to a new racquet might mean you need different things out of your strings. For example, I loved Tour Sniper in my old Extreme Tours, however, when I was considering switching to the Radical MP, I wanted a string that offered more power and spin. Even though I’ve tried over 70 different strings and 100 different racquets, it even takes me a few tries to dial-in a perfect string setup to a new racquet. So in general, take it easy, be patient and have fun with the process.