WHAT TENSION FOR YOUR STRING? OUR ADVICE

24kg? 25kg? Or even 19 or 35?

Choosing your tension, as with stringing, is sometimes a challenge for players.

Our advice to help you make the (right) choice.

1/ INCREASE OR DECREASE STRING TENSION: FINDING A COMPROMISE BETWEEN CONTROL AND POWER

Phew! You've chosen your racquet and your strings. You think you're safe, but then, suddenly, the stringer asks you the fateful question: "What tension do you want?" Ouch.

A question that is sometimes complicated to answer, at both amateur and professional level, where it is not uncommon to see adjustments made in the middle of a match!

Tension has a significant impact on the sensations felt by the player.

So let's go back to the basics first:

Increase the voltage:

-Allows you to prioritize control over power: by stretching more, the former skyrockets and the latter is limited. Certainly fewer winning shots, but also far fewer unforced errors.

-Reduces the life of the rope.

-Reduces sensations and comfort, and gives the impression of having to "force" more to get the ball to come out of the racket well and to find length.

Reduce tension:

-Allows you to prioritize power over control: the trampoline effect is greater and the ball comes out of the racket more quickly

-Increases the life of the rope.

-Promotes sensations and playing comfort: it feels as if the ball comes out of the racket more easily. This is also a very interesting parameter for players who have arm pain.

These elements can already help you understand which direction you need to go in order to influence your sensations and obtain more control or power. It is also important to keep in mind that if you cannot find the ideal setting, it is perhaps also because you have not yet found the right string!

At a less advanced level of competition, it is often preferable to tension your racket "reasonably," between 23 and 27 kg to maintain control and, above all, avoid injuries. An "extreme" tension, below 23 kg or above 27 kg, is often difficult to control and requires a certain dexterity. And can, moreover, quickly tire your arm.

2/ THREE ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR ADJUSTING YOUR STRING TENSION

Change the string tension depending on the surface

As we mentioned in a previous article (link at the bottom of the page), the transition to the clay court season in April allows us to observe that professional players mostly adjust the tension of their strings by reducing it by 1 or 2 kg.

So, depending on the surface on which you play, the ball is more or less heavy and lively. On clay, the ball fluffs up by absorbing the earth and is therefore heavier, while on indoor hard courts, for example, the felt disappears, the ball becomes smoother over time and is therefore lighter and faster.

So what should you do about your string tension?

In this case, it is advisable to reduce the tension by 1 kg or more on clay to compensate for the heaviness of the ball, the slowing down of the game and the impression that considerable effort is required to make a winning shot on this surface. When moving to a fast or indoor surface, this kg removed on clay should be restored to regain control.

“ Heavy playing conditions? We reduce the tension to gain power! ”

Take climatic conditions into account when choosing string tension

Outdoor or indoor, arid or humid climate, this slows down or speeds up the game and it is therefore interesting to think about adjusting your strings.

While at an amateur level, you're not going to change your string every time it starts to rain or the sun comes out, you can make changes depending on the season (summer and matches in the blazing sun, winter and indoor matches). And often, this is combined with the surface because outdoor clay is mostly played in the summer, while in winter it's indoor tournaments that are teeming.

So outdoors, the wind, which increases air resistance, and the sun, which creates heavier playing conditions, will push you to lower your tension to adapt and gain power and playing comfort. We will advise you to reduce the tension by 1 kg. Indoors, we will add this kg of tension.

Also consider that string types themselves react differently to changes in weather and temperature. Gut, for example, suffers little from the weather, as does multifilament, while polyesters suffer more from cold temperatures. Stiff string + stiff ball in cold weather = difficulty moving the ball forward, so it may be worth reducing the tension.

Do not ignore the static effect on string tension

Finally, you should know that the string tires and loses tension... all by itself, over time.

Many players at professional tournaments explicitly request that their rackets be strung the morning of their match, so that they do not have time to lose tension overnight.

The "static effect" must be taken into account, meaning that when you reopen your tennis bag to hit the ball in April after not having played for several winter months, your strings are naturally loose. You should then restring them to get a good feel for them and avoid tiring your arm (excessively low tension is more dangerous for the muscles).

So, test different tensions at the start of each season to stagger yourself and find the perfect combination, in order to continue improving your performance!