Tennis string for beginners
Learn which tennis string is best for tennis beginners
Tennis string for beginners
The right tennis string supports your tennis racket and thus you when playing tennis at the highest level. The tennis string supports your playing style, from the passive return player to the aggressive topspin player.
However, purchasing the tennis string is only half the battle, because the string must also be strung correctly on the tennis racket. Most tennis beginners do not have their own tennis stringing machine and therefore use local stringing suppliers.
In the following, we will show you how to find your way through the jungle of tennis strings and support you in the right choice of tennis string, as well as the stringing costs – enjoy reading.
1. Tennis strings introduction
While in the past tennis rackets were played with wood, today there are a variety of tennis strings from which to choose. A distinction is made between the natural gut tennis string and various plastic tennis strings, often made of nylon:
a) Tennis string: natural gut
A natural gut tennis string consists of several individual fibers, which are assembled into a strand and coated with a protective layer. The string is characterized by a high level of playing comfort over its entire service life, but is slightly susceptible to weathering and is relatively expensive compared to subsequent synthetic strings.
b) Tennis string: Nylon
A nylon tennis string consists of an inner nylon core, which is covered by several individual fibers and an outer protective layer. The string is characterized by durability and comparatively low price at the expense of playing comfort.
c) Tennis string: Polyester
A polyester tennis string, also called a monofilament or monofiber tennis string, is usually made of nylon or a mix of materials and constructed from a single strand. The string promotes powerful and precise play and is characterized by long durability at the expense of playing comfort.
d) Tennis string: Multifilament
A multifilament tennis string, also known as a mulifil tennis string, consists of up to 1,500 individual fibers that are assembled into a single strand and coated with a protective layer. The string also noticeably improves playing comfort, but is less expensive than the natural gut tennis string.
e) Tennis string: Multifilament variants
There are also a number of other multifilament tennis strings, e.g.
- the multifilament tennis string with several layers inside
- the multifilament tennis string with a solid core
- the inside multi-layered multifilament tennis string with a solid core
- the outside profiled multifilament tennis string with a solid core
Each of the multifilament tennis strings aims at slightly different playing characteristics.
f) Hybrid strings
A hybrid stringing means that different tennis strings are used for the cross and longitudinal stringing to combine the advantages of the characteristics of tennis strings. Since the longitudinal strings have a higher wear, it is advisable to use a tennis string with a long durability. In addition, the cross strings can be strung with a tennis string with a focus on playing comfort.
2. Properties of tennis strings
Each tennis string tries to address different playing characteristics, so that the best possible suitable tennis string can be selected depending on one’s own playing strengths.
The most important characteristics of tennis strings are explained below:
a) Spin
Tennis strings that advertise the property of spin enhance the forward or backward spin of the tennis ball, also called topspin or slice. Any additional fiber windings, e.g. of multifilament tennis strings, increase ball rotation at the expense of control.
b) Playing feel / comfort
Tennis strings that advertise the properties of feel or comfort appeal to injury-prone tennis players who, for example, want to protect their arm through high vibration dampening. For example, multifilament tennis strings are better suited than polyester tennis strings.
c) Power / Force
Tennis strings that advertise the properties of force or power are aimed at aggressive tennis players who like to accelerate the tennis ball. In this way, a higher speed is achieved with the same stroke technique. For example, the rather stiff polyester tennis string is suitable for this purpose.
d) Control
Tennis strings that advertise the property of control appeal to consistent tennis players who like to reduce stroke dispersion and reproduce their own strokes over and over again. However, this requires hitting the tennis ball with the tennis racket in as close to the same spot as possible.
e) Durability
Tennis strings that advertise durability appeal to tennis players with high string wear. The stronger the materials used, the longer the life of the tennis string.
In addition to the properties of the tennis string, other properties can vary by the diameter and stringing hardness of the tennis string.
Diameter
- Thinner tennis string, with diameter ≤ 0.05 inch, enhances the properties of spin, feel / comfort and force / power.
- Thicker tennis string, with diameter ≥ 0.05 inch, reinforces the properties control and durability
Stringing hardness
- Softer stringing hardness than average for the tennis racket specified strengthens the properties of force / power and durability
- Harder than the average stringing hardness specified for the tennis racket reinforces the properties of control
3. Buy the right tennis string
With the help of the previously explained characteristics of tennis strings, it should be easy for you to find the right tennis string.
We recommend that tennis beginners, who have not yet broken their tennis strings, at least at the start of the summer or winter season, consider whether a new stringing is not a good investment.
Tennis beginners should use a tennis string that is not too thick, ≤ 0.05 inch diameter, with the properties of feel / comfort to prevent arm pain. This should then be strung to at least the recommended stringing hardness for the tennis racket. Your local stringing service will certainly get this right.
The choice of which tennis string to use is up to you – feel free to test different tennis strings to find the one that suits you best. You can either buy a single tennis string (~40 ft) or directly a reel (660 ft). A 660 ft tennis reel is sufficient for ~17 stringings and can of course be shared with other playing partners – normally a good investment.
In addition to the classic brands for tennis rackets Babolat, Head and Wilson, there are many tennis string specialists, such as Isospeed, Kirschbaum or Luxilon.
4. Tennis string and stringing costs
The plastic tennis string should support your own playing style on the tennis court in the best possible way. The cost of each tennis string varies depending on the selected properties and the quantity purchased.
The following is an approximate cost estimate depending on the quantity purchased:
- Single tennis string (40 ft): 8.00-25.00 dollar
- Reel as tennis string (660 ft): 60-200 dollar, corresponds to 17 stringings approximately 3.50-11.50 dollar per single tennis string.
In addition, there is the stringing fee per stringing: 20-40 dollar.
Thus, a new tennis string including material costs and stringing on your own tennis racket costs approximately between 25 and 50 dollar.
We recommend that tennis beginners purchase a tennis reel after finding their preferred tennis string and always give it to the stringer, so that there is no extra charge for the tennis string.
5. Summary and conclusion
A tennis string promotes one’s own playing style and highlights one’s own strengths in a tennis match, so that one’s chances of winning increase. In particular, a distinction is made between the playing characteristics spin, feel / comfort, strength / power, control and durability. With significant further development of their own tennis game, tennis beginners should check whether the playing characteristics continue to match the characteristics of the tennis string used.
A new string for your own tennis racket costs between 25 and 50 dollar.