Tennis: what tension should you use to string your racket?

A good stringing choice is not enough on its own. You then need to find the best tension so that the racket is truly an extension of your arm and your body.

You shouldn't go against your physical abilities and your play style.

Here is a summary of the pros and cons of the most extreme tensions.

Low tension (<20kg)

Advantages:
• Power
• Comfort
• Spin

Drawbacks:
• Harder to control
• Less precision

High tension (>25kg)

Advantages:
• Precision
• Control

Drawbacks:
• Risk of tendon injuries
• Less power
• Less spin

The different structures of string do not all tell the same story about tension. That's why we can only give a range of tension for the different types of stringing.

So we recommend trying several different tensions within those ranges.

Gut, multi-filament, hybrid

Ideal tension:
21-25 kg
(1kg less on the cross strings recommended)

Mono-filament

Ideal tension:
19-25 kg
(1 to 2kg less on the cross strings recommended)

Please note!

• You shouldn't tighten a loose string pattern as you'll compromise on performance. A loosely strung racket will let you play a more relaxed game, giving you more power without having to force it.
• Playing will cause your strings to wear out or break. They lose their elasticity and initial properties.
• The gauge (or diameter) also affects play. The smaller the gauge, the more power and spin you'll get. A larger gauge will give you more durable strings.

Additional information: On the professional circuit, extreme tensions range from 9 kg at the lowest to 42 kg at the highest! But the average is 24 kg for monofilament strings, for the most part.

Now you know everything about stringing tension. All that's left is to get your racket strung or to string it yourself. To do so, watch our video that explains how to properly string your tennis racket.

Gut

Ideal tension:
• Power: +++++
• Comfort: +++++
• Tension retention: +++++
• Spin: ++
• Durability: ++

Multi-filament

• Power: ++++
• Comfort: ++++
• Tension retention: ++++
• Spin: +++
• Durability: +++

Hybrid

• Power: +++
• Comfort: +++
• Tension retention: +++
• Spin: ++++
• Durability: ++++

Mono-filament

• Power: ++
• Comfort: ++
• Tension retention: +
• Spin: +++++
• Durability: +++++

Sporadic breaker

• Break frequency: More than 20 hours of play
• Stringing: Gut or Multi-filament
• Tension: Between 21kg and 25kg

Frequent breaker

• Break frequency: Between 10 and 20 hours
• Stringing: High-quality multi-filament or hybrid
• Tension: Between 21kg and 25kg

Extreme breaker

• Break frequency: Under 10 hours
• Stringing: Mono-filament
• Tension: Between 19kg and 25kg

Glossary:

Power: the ability of the string to restore energy on impact.
Tension retention: the ability of the stringing to retain its energy over time.
Life span (durability): the length of time stringing will last before breaking after repeated rubbing on the strings.
Comfort: the ability of the string to generate minimal vibrations on impact.
Spin: the ability of the stringing to transfer spin to the ball (slice, lift, etc...)