in association  with

Presents

 USEFUL ADVICE ON RACQUET RESTRINGING

How often you restring your racquet will depend on the type of racquet you use, your style of play, the type of strings you use and your frequency of play.

These are some of the signs to look out for and some general rules of thumb to help you decide if it is time to visit your racquet stringer.  Racquets should be restrung as many times a year as you play each week. i.e.:  If you play once a week, you need to restring once a year, play twice a week, restring twice a year and so on.

• Racquets should be restrung after 40 – 50 hours of play.
• Nylon strings will lose their tension quicker than others, usually after 30 – 40 hours of play.
• When you strike the racquet face against the palm of your hand you should hear a ping.  If you hear a dull thud instead, then it is time for a restring.
• If you find the sweetspot has disappeared, you need a restring.
• If you are a hard hitter, you will usually need to have your racquet restrung more often than the average player.
• At the very minimum, your racquet should be restrung every 6 months regardless of how often you play.  This is because the strings will naturally lose their tension and elasticity over time.

Those players who pride themselves on never having had their racquet strung or not done for years are actually increasing their risk of injuries such as….tennis elbow, shoulder & other arm problems and they are also decreasing the performance of their racquet.

It is very important to get the right strings to suit you.  Choosing the correct strings will ensure that your performance will improve and having your racquet strung regularly will maintain this performance.

After all….why do we service our cars???…..yes…to improve & maintain performance!!

When choosing a stringer here are a few pieces of advice:

1)  Are they qualified? 
You can simply check this by asking what stringing association they are a member of and ask for their certificate of qualification. (Usually this will be either USRSA (United States Racquet Stringers Association) or ERSA (European Racquets Stringers Association).

2)  What qualification should I be looking for?
Serious stringers will have invested in training to string to a high standard.  You should look for a stringer who has a CRS (Certified Racquet Stringer) or MRT (Master Racquet Technician).  MRT stringers have usually gained experience at tournaments and are in touch with updated technologies.

3)  How can I be sure I am getting the correct advice?
A competent stringer will always ask a series of questions to find out more about you as a player.  Some will even have a checklist which they will fill in with you.  This is important to establish what type of string to recommend.  Such questions will include:

• What racquet do you currently use?
• Your style of play? (topspin, flat, hard hitter, baseliner, serve volley etc),
• Do you have any injuries? (eg tennis elbow).

If you need any further information, simply wish to ask a question or are unsure please do not hesitate to drop me an email to: roger@racketsolutions.com

Keep yourself and your racquets in tune….

• CHOOSE A QUALIFIED STRINGER
• STRING CORRECTLY
• STRING REGULARLY

Enjoy your tennis & share this information with your fellow players.

Roger Henry

• ERSA – Master Racquet Technician
• Member of the Official UK & Ireland Babolat Stringing Team (2010 – present)
• Member of the Official Stringing Team @ the Championships, Wimbledon (2007 – present)
• Official Stringer for Blackrock Tennis Legends-Belfast (2007 & 2008)
• Stringer to the Ireland & Luxembourg Davis Cup Teams 2011 (Babolat Official Stringing Service)