Ah Just String it at Whatever!

You don't wanna now how many times I've heard this when someone asks me to string thier racquet. At that point I usually spend a minute or two getting information from the owner about how thier current racquet feels or plays and how often they restring. Too many people just take tension for granted. In fact, it just might be the most important factor in determining how a particular racquet plays. Let's take a moment and look at this important topic.

String Tension
Ok. I know doesn't take a rocket-scientist to figure out what string tension is. It's how tight a stringer pulls the string across your frame. All racquets come with a manufacturers 'recommended' tension printed on the side of the throat. Most usually sit between 50lbs to 65lbs however again, this is only what's recommended. John McEnroe played with strings tensioned at 43lbs in his Dunlop as a professional. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Pete Sampras tensioned his Wilson Pro Staff racquet at +90lbs (not recommended). Anyhow, how tight or loose you string your racquet will depend on how you want your racquet to play. I'll explain with this diagram.

Now it's pretty simple. The tighter you string your racquet the stiffer your string bed is. The stiffer your string bed is, the more flat or predictable your string bed is when the ball impacts it thus giving you better control. Now one of the shortcomings of tight strings is that since they are so stiff, the strings absorb alot of the energy of the incoming ball and reflect very little. This means you need to generate more racquet head speed to put pace on the ball. Another problem is shock, because your essentially hitting the ball with a hard object (your string bed), the shock of the impact with ball tends to be absorbed by your racquet and then subsequently your arm. If you string your racquet and you find your arm hurts after a few rallies, chances are you've strung it too tight.

Conversely, if you string your racquet on the looser side, you make your string bed more elastic allowing the strings to flex and reflect some of energy of the incoming ball. This causes a trampoline effect giving you more power into your strokes. However, unlike the stiff string bed the looser one tends to be less predictable on impact and you end up sacrificing some control. Also in contrast to the tight stringbed, a looser string bed will be more comfortable on the arm since alot of energy of the ball is reflected back into the incoming ball and not up your arm.

Another issue with string tension is durability and tension maintenance. The tighter you string the more the pressure you put on your strings on and off the court. Hence a tighter racquet won't last you as long as one that strung at a lesser tension. You will find this doubly so if you hit with extensive spin.
Excessive grinding of the main strings across the cross strings on a tightly strung racquet can break in a single hitting session depending on the power and stroke of the player. Another issue you have is string stretching, even within 24 hours of a racquet being strung the strings will begin to lose tension even if you don't hit with it. This stretching process will be accelerated the tighter you string your racquet. Some multifilaments have been known to drop 4% to 8% in tension overnight (unhit!).

That said, every string you try will have a sweet spot for you in terms of tension. My suggestion is, if you trying out a new racquet out for the 1st time just stringing it right the middle of the recommended tension. This is where the racquet manufacturer found the optimum balance of control, power and comfort. Then next time you string it, take the tension up or down a couple pounds and see how that feels. If may seem a expensive way to experiment but just like you won't buy the 1st racquet you try, you shouldn't be satisfied with your string off the get go. This also applies when switching strings. Just because you hit with String X at 56 lbs doesn't mean you will have the same experience at String Y at the same tension. If may take 3-4 stringings to find the right tension for you.

Anyhow, the takehome message is 'experiment' and find where a particular strings gives you a nice balance of control and power and comfort. That said, IMHO, I suggest playing with the tightest tension you can comfortably play with it. Not only will this give you more control but will help you develop your game more. Abbreviate swings and short follow throughs can sometimes be sympton of a racquet strung too loosely. However, I don't recommend going too much above the maximum suggested tension, you'll more then likely void your warranty and in the worse case, damage your racquet. Remember, Pete Sampras has a life long sponsor with Wilson, he can afford to break a few racquets on the stringer.