Stringing guide
Guide to tennis strings and tension
A racquet can feel completely different after a fresh string job. This guide explains when to restring, how string families compare, and how tension changes control, power, spin, and comfort.
Common lower tension range
Common upper tension range
Weeks used for yearly frequency
Main string families compared
Why restring at all?
Strings lose tension over time even when the racquet is sitting in a bag. Heat, hitting, weather, and simple aging all reduce how lively and predictable the string bed feels.
Dead strings make it harder to control depth, generate clean spin, and get free power. Many players also start swinging harder to compensate, which can add stress to the wrist, elbow, and shoulder.
Broken strings are the obvious signal, but they are not the only one. Fresh strings give a more consistent response, cleaner feedback, and a racquet that matches your current game instead of your memory of how it used to feel.
Frequency
How often should you restring?
The calculator weighs a string's playable life in on-court hours and its aging over time — elasticity goes even while the racquet sits in its bag. The figures come from player reports: pick a string type below and it shows exactly how many reports stand behind its number.
≈ 13 times per year (every ~4 weeks)
Polyester rarely breaks, but it goes dead long before that: players report 6-20 hours of play. Dead poly feels harsher on the arm — do not wait for it to snap.
Strings age even without play: they lose elasticity right in the frame. Refresh Polyester at least every ~2 months, even if you rarely play.
The math assumes ~1.5 hours of play per session. Treat it as a planning baseline: tournament players and heavy topspin hitters usually need more frequent service. The string pattern moves the result more than the string brand does: the same string dies about twice as fast in an open pattern as in a dense one.
If you break strings first, restring when they break. If you never break them, expect 2-4x longer than the numbers above: those come from players who play often and hit hard.
Player reports naming an actual number of hours: 101. The spread runs from <5-40+ hours.
Sources: forum threads on string life
These reports come from forums and blind playtests, where players hit harder than our average reader. Nobody logs hours carefully: one player ran the same setup three times and got 30, 15 and 15 hours. Treat the figure as a guide with roughly a third of slack either way, not a promise.
String families
String type comparison
Properties first, then where we stand. Every claim in the table was checked against player reports and rewritten where they contradicted it. The verdict on each row is ours — from the workshop that strings these every day.
| Type | Comfort | Durability | Control / Spin | Power | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PolyesterWe recommend it | Stiff, low comfort; can stress the arm | Hard to break, but playability dies within 6-20 hours of play | High control and spin | Lower power | $ | Our default pick, for players with a grooved swing and topspin. It asks for discipline: restring on hours played rather than waiting for a break. Beginners should move to it deliberately and keep an eye on the arm. |
| MultifilamentDepends on you | Soft and arm-friendly — until it goes dead: a dead multi hits the arm almost like dead poly | Medium: frays and settles; string-breakers go through it fast | Medium control | High power | $$ | Comfort seekers and players with arm issues. A poor match for string breakers and heavy topspin — 3-8 hours there |
| Natural gutDepends on you | Best feel and comfort in most models; a few brands and high tensions feel noticeably firmer | As a full bed it outlasts other soft strings; it gives up fast as hybrid crosses, on clay and in damp weather (uncoated models especially). It can even snap unplayed; string savers extend it a lot | Best tension hold; plenty of power and launch — control usually comes from a poly cross | Highest power | $$$ | Premium feel, comfort, and stable tension. More often used as hybrid mains than as a full bed; the stringer's work matters more here than with any other string |
| Synthetic gutWe do not recommend it | Soft only for the first few hours. After that it turns wooden: the elasticity goes, the string dries out and starts coming back into the arm. | Weak, and worse — it dies long before it breaks. It goes flat within a couple of sessions and can still hold together for months, so breakage will never tell you when it is done. | Poor control and an unpredictable ball. The strings slide and do not snap back, so spin is the first thing to go and you end up straightening them between points. | Medium, but it falls away with the tension — and the tension falls fast. | $ | We do not recommend it. It is only cheaper on the first receipt: play once a week and the extra restrings eat the gap to polyester. Take polyester instead, or a hybrid if you need the comfort. |
| HybridDepends on you | Depends on the mains: noticeably softer with gut/multi mains. But the longer a dead poly cross stays in the frame, the harsher it feels — complaints start around 10 hours | It ends with whichever string gives up first: the poly usually stops playing first (tension and snapback go), the soft main usually breaks first. What sits in the mains decides | High control with better feel | Good power | $$-$$$ | Control plus comfort, and our answer for anyone whose arm cannot take a full poly bed. The popular build is gut or multi mains with a smooth poly cross. On a budget, soft multi mains with a thin smooth poly cross. |
What a hybrid actually is
A hybrid means two different strings in the same racquet: one in the mains (the strings running along the handle), another in the crosses. The mains carry feel and power; the crosses carry control and how the bed snaps back into place after contact. You combine them to take the strong side of each — polyester mains for control with a soft cross so it beats up your arm less, for instance. On tour it is usually the other way round: natural gut mains, poly crosses. Restring a hybrid by whichever string gives up first, not by the one that cost more.
What we string ourselves
We string racquets every day and we see what a string does after the very first session. Our pick is polyester: it gives control, it loses tension predictably, and it works through its life honestly. We do not recommend synthetic gut. Tension drops off it sharply, sometimes noticeably after a single session, and within a couple of outings the string goes wooden and dry with no elasticity left. It will still not break for a long time, so breakage will never tell you it is finished: the string is intact and there is nothing left to play with. Multifilament and natural gut do give comfort and feel honestly, but you pay for them in lifespan — they break fast. If your arm cannot take poly, go to a hybrid, not to synthetic gut.
Tension
Tension guide
Across 103 tension datapoints from forums the median came out around 26 kg (57 lbs), with 61 of 103 stringing above 25 kg. But that is a forum sample — those players hit harder than the average club player, so copying them is a mistake. A sensible starting point is 22-25 kg, with polyester lower than softer strings. Your frame and how your arm feels matter more than a kilo either way.
- Beginners usually do better starting a little lower for comfort and depth.
- Above 25 kg usually means soft strings (multifilament, natural gut) or fast-swing control seekers. Polyester above 25 kg is a recurring cause of elbow pain.
- String polyester about 1-2 kg (2-4 lbs) lower than synthetic gut or multifilament.
20-25 kg: the most common range. With polyester, stay in the lower half (20-23 kg).
Lower tension
More power, comfort, and easier spin; less precise control.
Higher tension
More control and a firmer response; less power and more arm load.
Stringing FAQ
How long does racquet stringing take?
Usually under an hour — the current turnaround is always listed on the stringing service page. Confirm timing when you contact us, especially before a tournament or same-day match.
How often should I restring?
Count court hours: polyester keeps its playing characteristics for ~6-20 hours, multifilament averages around 10, and natural gut as a full bed lasts longest at roughly 20. How a string dies matters too: a multi softens and stops holding the ball, synthetic gut sheds tension sharply and goes stiff long before it breaks, and in a hybrid the poly cross usually gives up first. Strings also age without play — refresh polyester roughly every 2 months. The calculator above works it out for your rhythm.
Which string suits me?
We recommend polyester — provided you will restring on hours played instead of waiting for a break. We do not suggest synthetic gut as a cheap start: it sheds tension sharply, goes wooden within a couple of sessions, and then refuses to break for ages, which leaves you nothing to learn on. If your arm is sensitive or your elbow has hurt before, take a hybrid: a soft string in the mains, poly in the crosses. Multifilament if comfort matters to you more than lifespan and you can accept frequent breakages.
Does tension really matter?
Yes, but the string family matters more than a kilogram or two of tension. Higher tension plays firmer and more precise; lower gives easier power and comfort. Players regret stringing too tight far more often than too loose.
Do you supply strings or can I bring my own?
Both options are supported. You can bring your own string or choose from available string types when you message us on WhatsApp.
What does stringing cost?
The up-to-date price list lives on the stringing service page, together with the contacts to message us on WhatsApp.
Can string choice help arm pain?
Softer strings and lower tension can reduce harsh feel. A frequent culprit in player reports is dead polyester that was overdue for a restring. But a soft string is not a fix on its own: players report that a bagged-out multifilament, or a poly cross left in a hybrid too long, starts hitting the arm as well. And treat pain seriously: reduce load and consider medical advice.
Should I copy pro strings and tensions?
No. Pros hit harder, restring almost every match, and tolerate firm string beds. Three common mistakes from player reports: leaving "unbreakable" polyester in until it snaps, chasing high tension for control, and starting with a full poly bed because your idol plays it.
In Baku since 2010
The stringing team Baku's strongest players trust
We are a team of four master stringers. Pros, tournament juniors, and club players — we string for every level of the game. Some of our team members have been stringing in Baku since 2010 and have stayed close to the court ever since.
years of experience — the team's first string jobs in Baku date back to 2010
racquets strung over the years
players have trusted us with their racquets
master stringers on the team — from everyday restrings to tournament work
When international events come to Baku, our stringers work with young professionals right at the tournament — from qualifying to the final.
Ready to restring your tennis racquet?
Message us on WhatsApp: tell us how often you play, what you want more of - control, power, spin, or comfort - and when you need the racquet back.