Tennis Racquet Strings
Much like strings on a musical instrument, your tennis racquet strings 
can have a significant impact on your game and your style of play. While both factor into exactly which kind of strings you should buy, there's also a lot of other things to consider when restringing your racquet. Luckily, these aspects are often interrelated. It's important to know which combinations are best for your game so you can maximize your fun level and keep those Rod Laver sneakers in good, well-worn shape. When buying a racquet string your decision should come from the feel you get. Also, when you buy remember that bigger string reels are cheaper to buy. Don't worry, the strings are unaffected by humidity and age, so buying in advance won't be a problem.
Strings
Choosing Strings
Believe it or not, a lot of consideration should be given to the kind of string you choose. If you're a beginner you will need to know the basics in order to make a selection. You can buy racquets strung or unstrung. Although the unstrung are targeted for intermediates and experts, it doesn't mean you can't get one and tailor it to your playing style.
Thick Strings vs. Thin Strings
- Thinner strings (16 -19 gauge ) are widely thought to bite into the ball better and provide more spin . Serious players use 16 gauge.
- Thicker strings (15 gauge ) are good for beginners and intermediate players. They are more durable, but are less resilient.
- Strings all have a light (L) version, which is slightly thinner than the normal quality string.
Tension
Generally, lower string tension will provide a little more power on your shots. Most people think this is because the ball rests a little longer on a low-tension string bed than a harder one.
- Lower-tension strings also provide more resiliency, which is related to power. The higher the resiliency, the more power the strings should offer. Thinner strings and natural gut are generally more resilient.
- Some tests, however, show that by increasing your string tension by 50 percent (which is a lot), you can up your ball spin by 5 percent. This is thought to be caused by harder tension strings biting into the ball more and causing more compression on impact.
- Higher string tension offers less power but it makes up for that lack in control.
String Vibration
Some racquets come with small plastic vibration dampeners , which, as the name implies, reduces the impact vibration as well as the "ping" sound. They also keep the main strings from shifting during play, which increases spin and string life.
Restringing
The general rule of thumb is to restring per year as many times as you play per week. So if you're hitting the courts four times a week, you'll want to change your strings four times a year. Restringing twice a year is about the minimum for active players, but some heavy spin hitters will definitely wear their strings out faster than flat hitters.
What Are The Best Strings On The Market?
This question gets asked quite often. Truth be told, Babolat and Luxilon make some of the highest quality strings you can find but you can find fairly good strings by other brands.
- Babolat Pro Hurricane : These are incredibly flexible and resistant strings. They retain tension well even after use.
- Luxilon Big-Banger ALU-Power : These strings are durable while sustaining power and control for the user. It has increased spin capability too.
- Wilson Sensation : This string is less expensive than some other options but it has a great spin. It's also got a good feel and power to it.
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