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Your strings account for a huge proportion of the performance of your racket, they should be dynamic - moving & stretching to offer you feel, power & performance. As time goes on, they become less stretchy, more brittle & generally harder to use. So we highly recommend replacing them before they break to maintain maximum performance & to avoid injuries such as tennis elbow.
A good rule of thumb is - Replace your strings as many times a year, as you play in a week, but at least once a year.
Factors that can reduce the life span of your strings include, playing with a lot of power or spin, getting them wet or anything that makes them expand & contract (ie changes in temperature, pressure when flying etc).
a) Synthetic Guts - Recommended for players of all levels & abilities
Soft & stretchy, these strings offer maximum performance. They offer power by acting like a trampoline to 'fire' the ball off the string bed. they also offer spin & feel by pocketing the ball as you make contact.
We recommend synthetic gut for anyone who doesn't break a lot of strings or is happy to replace them regularly for maximum performance. They are also ideal for people with injuries as the soft strings absorb impacts better than tougher alternatives.
b) Polyester Strings - Recommended to string breakers
Tough & durable, these strings offer top durability. Look out for examples that use engineering to make up for some of the short fall in performance in relation to synthetic guts. Manufacturers often add features like textured coatings or non-circular profiles (ie hexagonal) to increase grip in the ball, or extra stretch to offer some ball pocketing.
We recommend this string type to players who break a lot of strings or who favour a firm feeling restring. Not recommended for young or injured players, so they can be harder on the arm.
c) Hybrid Strings - Best of both worlds
As the name suggests, this is simply combining synthetic guts & polyesters to offer attributes from both.
We recommend hybrid restrings to players who break synthetic guts too easily, but still love the performance they offer. Hybrid restrings are also great for aggressive baseline players who benefit from textured non-circular strings in their mains - this adds 'rip' to topspin shots, while synthetic gut crosses still offer ball pocketing & power.
d) Smart or engineered strings - A new concept
Offering similar benefits to a hybrid restring, these strings are constructed somewhere between synthetic guts, & polyesters - using modern manufacturing techniques to add stretch & 'snap back' to moderately durable strings
Most rackets will come with a recommended tension range. This is good starting point, but you can tailor your string bed to your playing level, style & preference.
a)Going tighter -
This offers maximum control over your shot. By increasing the tension, you decrease the time required for the ball contact to be completed, thereby increasing the immediacy of your shot - the feel is transmitted to your hand faster, as there is less time for the strings to snap back into position. This reduces power as there is less of a 'trampoline effect' & so higher tension is usually better for advanced, doubles or all court players.
b) Going looser -
In contrast lower tensions offer greater power & spin by creating a ball pocket as you strike the ball. Great for 'baseliners', people with injuries or those looking for more power. It is also worth noting there is a modern trend towards lower tensions, even for players seeking feel. The ball pocketing mentioned for power & spin also give you longer contact time on the ball - thus giving you feel. It's different from the immediate reaction of a high tension control restrings, a softer feel, perhaps more suited to a modern playing style.
c) Going medium -
The is where most players will find themselves. Medium tension gives you a good balance between feel & power. It also allows greater flexibility between different playing conditions, or match types. If you don't know what tension suits you - start in the middle, then when you get your next restring you can start to 'dial in' a tension that suits you & your racket. More power required? - drop the tension, want to speed up the ball response? Add a few lbs.
