PODCAST String Debate: What’s the best tension for your tennis racquet? Benefits of low tensions!

[@philliplim2843]

Addendum to Troy Lara: I was courtside when Nishikori was playing Duckworth at the Citiopen in 2015. I read his lips and Nishikori went to 58 after he lost set 1 in a tiebreaker due to the humid conditions. Then he took out duckworth in the next 2 sets. I followed up with the stringer (he’s local) a few days later after the tournament and he said he was surprised too and sent the ballboy back to confirm bc Nishikori was stringing low 50’s all week. Temperature, opponent, humidity all make a difference (nishikori was using luxilon element full bed) bc I saw nishikori drop his reel and racquets after a practice while I was hanging with the stringers in the stringers tent) just an interesting fact.

[@tenniswarehouse]

Thanks for sharing that information. I believe in more recent years he ended up going with a hybrid of gut, and Element, and I had seen a stringing log at an ATP tournament where he had dropped tension quite a bit. That said, I know he has struggled with arm issues for a while, and also climate conditions play a big role as you mentioned, so I definitely can see his progression with strings, or how he may adjust. Troy, TW

[@LarzB]

I have dropped my tension with poly to 38 pounds and although it felt great, I had some issues with consistency, even in my dense 18x20 97 inch2 rackets. Since then I have upped the tension a little bit to 48 pounds and tried some different routes: Poly poly hybrid with varying the cross tension from 2 to 6 lbs lower than the main. I noticed that between 2 and 4 lbs lower cross tension is sweet as it widens the sweet spot and gives the main a little bit easier snap back. The other thing I tried is proportional stringing where I bump up the middle of the racket 2 lbs (in botch main and cross directlion) and lower it on the sides by a max of 1 lbs step each time to a max of 5 lbs difference between the middle and the most outer string. This gives the same feeling as lower tension string setup but with better control and predictability. And I do this with a 19 gage string currently in a dunlop cx200 tour 95 18x20, but also in other 18x20 rackets (up to gravity pro). It feels and plays fantastic

[@tomsd8656]

This method of varying tension depending on where the strings are on the racquet face is pretty well known, but you'd lose the feedback when you hit off center, since the sweet spot is expanded. I prefer to know when I miss the conventional sweet spot (with tension the same throughout the racquet face)

[@LarzB]

@@tomsd8656 there is still enough feedback from the twist of the racket by of center shots, but yes less vibrations because of it.

[@tomsd8656]

@@LarzB I had never played with such set up, but I imagine something must be different even if you hit the conventional sweet spot, like spin, power, directional control. Did you notice any difference compared to same tension throughout ?

[@LarzB]

@@tomsd8656 yes there are differences. If the middle tension is the same as in the full bed and you go lower to all sides there you have the following effects: - bigger sweet spot - little bit more power - same directional control - maybe a tiny little bit more spin I increase the tension in the middle a little bit to keep the power level more similar. In that case the effects are: - bigger sweet spot - little bit more control - similar power and spin

[@shroud1390]

Nice job. Def in the high tension camp string kev/4g at 86lbs. Played as low as 15lbs but def high tension is best. Chris was right about a heavier racquet

[@WaltKurtz68]

Interesting point @ 13 min. What Troy says on tension loss is the opposite of what TW University says. Whatever string I look up, there, the tension loss is always the highest at 40 lbs and the lowest at 62 lbs (with 51lbs sitting right in between). That is so counterintuitive. What Troy says makes much more sense: the tighter the string the more stress on the string, the sooner it will lose tension. So which one is it? ...

[@kamranaslam2183]

Enjoyed the podcast very informative , I have tried luxilon alu power at 18KG, loved it from the back of the court but couldn't win a match, really struggled to finish short balls, have increased the tension to 22KG since bit better now

[@LegolasD]

low tension is great for rallying imo but in match play I find it's just way too inconsistent

[@tomsd8656]

It's up to the player's playing style, and the opponent too. If you have the strength, you like to swing big, then you have to play with high tension. If you play like McEnroe, then you won't get any ball to the other side if you string with high tension. But the tension also depends on the type of string and racquet. Ultimately it's how you feel when hitting the ball. If you feel like you have to swing too hard to get the ball deep, then you need to lower tension or grow stronger. If you hit long too often, then either learn to control with different amount of spin, or increase tension. If you play against big server and you just can't keep the return from going out, then maybe increase tension a bit.

[@joeherbert4360]

You guys are correct with all these facts. At last someone that talks logic about strings. Thank you so much, agree on everything you guys say.

[@PrecisionPointTennis]

I’m trying Alu Power at 36/36 pounds on my Head Prestige Tour (2021) to get more comfort, higher launch angles, and more free power. I’ll see if I can adjust and adapt since I do hit beyond extremely hard and flat. Thanks

[@EdmonBegoli]

@tenniswarehouse - I have a question about Chris' (and mine) racquet of choice Speed Pro 2022 and what can be done with some string setup. I would like to raise up the launch angle, spin and power of the racquet without altering other play characteristics that much. For example, I would like to get a little bit of EZONE 100-like free power/spin through strings and tension. Right now I play with MSV Focus Hex Soft 17 (1.20mm) which is already pretty spinny string, at 52/50. Do you have any recommendations in terms of other tension, gauge, or some other string/hybrid choices?

[@nathanmiller6051]

Thanks guys always fun and informative!!!

[@jonathanchen1026]

I think it depends on the player and the tennis racket you’re using. I use 53lb on a hybrid setup on blade 98 16x19 v6

[@verdell]

Anything lower than 53 lbs and I feel like I can’t control it. Feels like a slingshot.

[@Javi_C]

Really enjoyed this one 😊 I personally enjoy my racquets at 48lbs. I will definitely try that 35lbs starting point tension as you guys recommended to try out 😀

[@juanbruce5981]

Would you recommend a stiff poly (say the Poly Tour Tough or the Tour Bite) at 44 lb in a Pure Aero? I'm looking to add a bit of control with a low tension. Thanks!

[@nikolasb5111]

I don't think I've ever seen Troy without a cap before. My mind is blown 🤯

[@Robust2013]

Every time I try out different strings I end up dissapointed and regret putting it in my racquet. I use to play with Kirschbaum Proline Evolution, but now I play with Maillot Savarez which is unbeatable in my opinion.

[@marcgabor9690]

I keep coming back to using gut in the mains and a smooth poly with decent tension maintenance in the cross (yonex poly tour fire is the best I've found so far). I don't break strings often, and I find that it stays playable longer than full poly which makes up for the price difference. Gut feels too powerful if I drop below 50lbs but are there any advantages or disadvantages to dropping the tension significantly lower on the crosses? I imagine that if the crosses are too loose, the mains might not slide as well.

[@therealdavidleong]

And I used to think 57 was low haha. I've been using 56 recently, but dropped down to 55 on my most recent restring. Might go to 52 at some point.

[@philliplim2843]

I string my polys at 70#’s. I returned to the game in 2015 (stopped playing sporadically in 2001) and never heard of polys. After much discussion with players and stringing pros at atp 500-1000 tournaments I tried the 50-55 but it kept giving me shoulder issues/pinges especially on serves. I finally decided to go with a poly at 70 and my arm/shoulder issues stopped. I currently use tourna big hitter silver due to tension maintenance and value. I hit a 2 handed backhand and far western forehand. I have a fairly fast swing speed and but most experienced players say I hit a “heavy ball.” Thanks Chris for mentioning swing speed as a factor. I use 4 2009 head microgel extreme pro’s modified with 24 inches of lead tape in the hoop and handle coming in at about 12.3 ounces strung but also have 2 1993 original head radical 260 trysis. I’ve tried Babolats and Wilson’s with similar stiffness ratings and weight comparisons as I’ve used the TW comparison tools and racquet power potentials to try and dial in on my racquet preferences. TW has been an invaluable tool of resources and information since I’ve returned to the game. I always enjoyed the video reviews of racquets and always paid attention to the speeds and spin rotations of all the TW players when testing new racquets. (Please bring those specs back) with the vids. TW staff (shoutout to the scientists) you guys are the best resource out there on the web available to the tennis community.

[@harrynguyen7374]

Wait why does raising ur tension help with your shoulder on serve? Because I think I have the same porblem w my shoulder

[@philliplim2843]

@@harrynguyen7374 my opinion is the pocketing with low tension caused/exposed muscle weaknesses from years of muscle memory when I played more (used to have a 110 mph flat serve). I could feel the pain from impact and reaction through my arm and shoulder. I’ve coached a few players through serving pains and realized if it isn’t tension or equipment, it’s probably your form.

[@philliplim2843]

Also realize that my racquet is spec’d for me. It’s 12 points HL unstrung and 10 points HL when strung (I also use a dampener). This past weekend my old high school teammate and I played and he hit better with my racquet and had less shoulder and elbow pain but more consistency. He strings lower now (53) and I believe the balance or slightly head heavy weight caused undue stress on his shoulder and elbow bc the weight changed his natural swing speed where he could hit the ball faster . He’s asked for my specs and I recommended increasing his tension. (I used to strung him at 62 synth when we played high school and college).

[@philliplim2843]

Final note. The balls you use make a difference. When I returned to the game in 2015 the balls felt different. I found out the balls were made heavier and that may have affected my shoulder as well. The guys I hit with (4.5+) raved about the Penn marathons but I felt the heavier ball weight and wouldn’t play if they insisted on those. A year later everybody stopped using the marathons bc they all developed shoulder/elbow issues

[@harrynguyen7374]

Oh wow, thank you for the super detailed explanation. I'll try both high and low tension to see which one works best for me, and maybe go to an orthopedic doctor once I have the time also 😭

[@glademaster]

You mentioned there are spin-friendly multifilament strings. Can you please recommend a few?

[@tenniswarehouse]

My favorite is Tecnifibre Multifeel. I find plenty of spin and control from that string.Another one I like is Head Velocity MLY because it has plenty of control so I can swing fast which helps generate more spin. I play both in a 16 gauge as I find it to deaden the stringbed compared to a thinner gauge and that allows me to swing fast and confidently -- essential for maximizing spin. Cheers, Chris, TW.

[@tedneanderthal7373]

I'm a long-time player. Lately, I have started using poly strings - usually strung at 50 lbs. in 100 - 104 sq. inch head sizes - and have been having arm problems even with racquets with low 60 to 63 RA ratings. The thing is - I love playing with dead poly strings! I like that the strings don't slide and the spin and control. As I'm now a senior player, to combat fatigue I've been trying lighter racquets and finding that lighter racquets strung with full poly are arm breakers. I really, really don't like multifilament strings and even syngut strings are not that arm friendly (and don't last long either). I am considering lowering the poly string tension from 50 to 45 lbs. and for control switching to a thicker 15L gauge poly. Thoughts? Should I go even lower tension wise? I've been using a poly that's pre-stretched for tension control. I just bought a Head Gravity Lite and so far it's a disaster arm wise even with its low 60 RA strung @ 50 lbs.; same with my old Graphene Touch Radical S. The Gravity Lite lacks dampening though I do play pretty well with it. I also have a Prince Phantom 100 with he "O" ports buts it's too much to swing. Suggestions would be appreciated. Many thanks.

[@gppgle]

Try Wilson Six One 100 - the racquet is comfortable enough and also have the power to help you with the hitting.

[@tedneanderthal7373]

@@gppgle Thanks!

[@Hope4unow-7]

Add 2 grams lead at 12 and 1 gram 3&9, so 4 total. Add overgrip to maintain balance or 4 grams in buttcap. You can add an additional gram or 2 as long as you can swing comfortably. Try stringing at higher tension (60) and swing away! Need to restring 3-6 weeks depending on what your arm is telling you. That should help. As you stated, light racket plus poly is not good combination. Customize your racket and make sure you keep your racket head speed up. And ditch the Gravity.

[@juju-rt8ek]

Can you say what it feels like to serve with low tension and high tension? I like to feel the resistence point pop with higher tension. Does this limit the options in a serve?

[@tenniswarehouse]

It really depends on how low of a tension you go with, but as you go lower it typically feels a bit softer, and there is a bit more ball-pocketing effect. If you like the tension you are currently using, then stick with it, but if you think you want to try a lower tension then maybe try reducing it in small amounts. Troy, TW

[@hkizzle888]

Nat Gut 57 / Alu Power Rough 55

[@10nishobby75]

"frame vibration" and/or "string vibration" 2 aspects to consider for good healthy arms!! 👍

[@yuchen2136]

I strung for my 9 yo daughter to protect her arm and strung multi at 35 and 45. The 35 had much more vibration and she complained. Now I understand why,

[@GeneralRock114]

If you have a tension and a string that works for you, don’t make any changes. People mostly lower tension when they have some sort of wrist or elbow issue.

[@goldencalf5144]

I don't dare to string a poly above 50 lbs. Too stiff and likely to give me an arm injury. I strung a Prestige mid at 45 lbs and it was giving me a sore wrist. I recently had it restrung at 35 lbs. Haven't played with it yet, but it'll be fascinating to see how it feels.

[@harryherman5371]

How was it?

[@goldencalf5144]

@@harryherman5371 It felt much better. But I ended up giving up on the racquet. I didn't get enough feel and feedback from the stringbed like I did with my Pro Staffs. And my groundstrokes were landing short. I think it's because of the tight string pattern on the Prestige where all the strings are spaced towards the centre. On the Pro Staffs, the outer strings are spaced further out towards the edge of the frame. The low string tension is good though, as it's easier on the arm without much loss of control. I'm thinking of stringing my mid sized Pro Staff 85 in the 30 to 35 lb range now. On mid plus and bigger frames, I'll probably stick with the 45 to 48 lb range.

[@harryherman5371]

@@goldencalf5144 Interesting. I've been reluctant to try low tension because I like Fed and that school and they are all up at 60, even though with gut. I use full poly at 50lbs usually but I'm beginning to think to get the same level of comfort as the pros do from their expensive gut set ups, you need to go more down near 40lbs with a poly. My stringer is doing one now to try, and I'm hoping it solves the issue I've been having swinging slower and not getting enough pop.

[@goldencalf5144]

@@harryherman5371 Well some pros string polys at really low tensions. I think Mannarino strings in the 20s. The good thing about stringing polys at low tensions is that the string maintains its playability for much longer. I generally leave my polys in till they break or want to try a new string.

[@fingersm]

Full poly 40pds! Hated it till I finally fell 😻

[@walterhayley7252]

Hi all. Maybe you folks can answer a question for this novice--the specs on my racket (a Head Gravity S) recommend stringing between 47-57 lbs. I had it strung at 55 lbs six-months ago. It's 17-gauge multifilament, and I'm not a string breaker. It appears to have now dropped below Head's suggested low of 47 lbs (I think it's now about 45). Does that mean I should restring? I've been playing four times a week (two hours of doubles each outing), and it still seems fine to me, but what do I know. Thanks!

[@tenniswarehouse]

It feels fine to you, then there shouldn't really be an issue. The multifilaments are usually pretty comfortable, so the tension loss and play-ability will be more of an issue with poly strings as they can start to feel stiff, dead, and harsh on the arms. The tension range is the recommendation from the manufacturer, however it won't really cause problems if the tension is lower than the bottom number, but it can be more of a problem if stringing higher than the max number, as it can put added stress on the frame when the string is too tight. Troy, TW

[@walterhayley7252]

@@tenniswarehouse , thank you Troy.

[@LiamApilado]

Can you do one about perfectionism and overly obsessing about specs?

[@tenniswarehouse]

I can't tell if you're trolling us or serious?!🤣 Michelle, TW

[@kamrannikoo7764]

I am trying to Poly poly hybrid for the first time. I am going to mix [ Luxilon ALU Power as (main), with Solinco Tour Bite (soft )] as (cross) both at 18 gauge. Main : 32lb. and Cross : 30lb. Am I doing the right way?. Thank you. I always use very low tension. I am 66 yo.

[@tenniswarehouse]

Sounds like you got a good experiment going. If you always use a low tension like that, then you should be used to it. As far as the difference in tension, that is mostly personal preference, but worth a try. Troy, TW

[@kamrannikoo7764]

@@tenniswarehouse Thank you indeed.

[@ramember2]

Anybody know if the Beers ert 300 tennis computer works? There's one on ebay right now. Expensive, but sounds interesting. .

[@tenniswarehouse]

I have heard mixed reviews. For most, it likely is expensive and maybe not so necessary. There have been some who find it useful in helping determine the change in string bed stiffness, or tension loss. That said, myself as well as the other playtesters here, we can usually tell when the string bed is losing tension, and usually there is a point or a range at which we can feel when the performance has dropped significantly, and usually know based on feel when it is time to re-string. Hope that helps. Troy, TW

[@9r393]

Is it possible to feel the strings drop tension in one hit? I think this happened to me because it felt like I popped a string then looked and my strings looked fine. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@tenniswarehouse]

Yea, that's possible! There are definitely some strings that I find don't hold tension as well and after an hour feel much looser than when I started with them! Michelle, TW

[@mcooper7743]

great podcast. How often should I change my grommets?

[@Javi_C]

In my opinion, only if the top bumper guard is bad enough that you start seeing the frame itself under, or if any string grommet like the tie off grommets that fall off or something (I don’t see it often at all though.)

[@tenniswarehouse]

@m Cooper, That's actually a good pod topic as I know I have been talking a lot about grommets to people lately! Stay tuned...although yes, agree with @Javi C -- once the grommet has been compromised it is good to swap it out as your graphite will start to get damaged and there can be actual changes to the racquet's weight, balance, etc. that you will experience. Michelle, TW

[@ronaldcapito2561]

Hi what would be better for comfort and control, an Ezone 100 2022 strung at higher tension, or Ezone 98 2022 at lower tension? Or more generally, which would offer a better balance, a control racket strung at lower tension, or a more powerful racket strung at higher tension?

[@tenniswarehouse]

In this case both racquets are pretty comfortable. What strings do you plan on putting in the racquet? I think the EZONE 100 will remain pretty comfortable, as long as you don't string it too tightly with a stiff poly. I personally have always gravitated towards the 95 to 98 headsizes, so I prefer the added precision of the 98, and I like to string it at a lower tension, with a string like Hyper-G. That said, I think the better balance really depends on the player preference, and the 98 and 100 headsize are very common on the pro tour nowadays, so even the even the worlds best players could likely make the argument for both. Troy, TW

[@bournejason66]

Didn’t quite get why flexible racket is better to pair with lower tension? Can someone elaborate it ?

[@tenniswarehouse]

Not sure if it is better for every player, as the tension can be a very personal thing based on feel. However, one example I mentioned was when I played with the Head MicroGEL Radical MP, being pretty flexible and has a dense 18x20 pattern. I enjoyed the lower tension because the racquet was pretty low powered, and the string bed was dense, so the lower tension helped make for a more pocketing feel, and felt like it gave the racquet a bit of life, or a little added energy return. Flexible frames typically lower the power or energy return, and flexible or elastic strings tend to add power or energy return. Troy, TW

[@bournejason66]

@@tenniswarehouse now it makes sense. Thanks Troy as always 🙏👍🎾

[@ttwarrior1]

i have a head a head boom pro at 55 and it feels like 200, yep , surprised me

[@michaelp9061]

I stay at around 30 lbs. pocketing is superb.

[@jiboo6850]

pure insanity. where are you from?

[@DB-CA]

Nice topic

[@cesarpahl4987]

Very valuable information here, thanks for doing the podcast. I just switched to the Vcore98+ 2021 strung with hyper g 16l at 48lbs, for some reason it feels tight, completely different to when I used hyper G on my speed MPs, I am going to try msv focus hex 1.27 at 40lbs next, would that be too low for a Vcore98 ?

[@mteca5093]

Im using ytex twist at 44lbs on 98+....going great still at 12hours

[@tenniswarehouse]

It usually takes a bit of experimentation to find your ideal tension. Since you are trying a different string, that also is a factor besides the tension. Maybe try a couple pounds lower (like 2 to 3 pounds difference) and see how that goes. Maybe even try the Hyper-G again but a couple of pounds lower, maybe like 45 and see how that goes...Troy, TW

[@cesarpahl4987]

@@tenniswarehouse thanks Troy, I am going to try it with 45 lbs and see how it goes.

[@Doty6String]

aaaah thats how she got so good a tennis academy

[@bournejason66]

Would be great to have the professor in the show someday 👍🎾

[@tenniswarehouse]

@Bourne Jason, If you can get him back, let me know! He's an incredibly tough one to book...trust me, I've tried...a lot. Michelle, TW

[@fingersm]

Who is that?

[@tenniswarehouse]

@@fingersm, We've had the TWU Professor Crawdford on a couple of podcast episodes, check them out here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m3unmq2Dbq-MnZo and kzbin.info/www/bejne/o2OcnqFqepKoqM0. Troy, TW

[@youngsuit]

Wow - that's such a great observation about stringing racquets and the gender divide. It's interesting, by contrast, that guitars are often made by women because they tend to have hands that are better suited for the needs of building the guitar. I'm thinking this has to do with some gender norms for "building things" that starts at a young age.

[@jiboo6850]

anything below 40 and above 60 is dumb. (18 to 28kg). if you do, you just have the wrong set of strings.