Tag: strings

Legendary racquet stringer Lucien Nogues covers a range of topics in this video.

COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR STRINGER

Summary of his key points.

There is no such thing as a miracle string that will give you everything you want in one string.

It is important to communicate what you want to your stringer. Tell him/her the problem you are trying to solve.

What do you want from your string?

1. Power
2. Comfort
3. Durability
4. Control (Playability)

HOW RACQUETS LOSE TENSION

There are two ways the strings lose tension.

1. Static loss — sitting in your closet
2. Dynamic loss — when you are using it

Dynamic loss accelerates the process, but a string bed will eventually go completely dead even if you never use it.

Loss of tension results in loss of control.

TIPS FROM THE PRO TOUR

Tip 1 – Record everything.

Note: At Racquet Network we keep a record for our customers. So there is no need to write anything down yourself.

Tip 2 – Change one parameter at a time.
Note: Our stringers can help you figure out which parameter to change at each step along the way.

Legendary racquet stringer Lucien Nogues describes the different types of tennis racquet strings, their pros and cons and how they are made.

The are two general string families: natural gut string and synthetic strings.

Natural gut is an organic, biodegradable product made from cow intestines. It is a byproduct of the beef industry. (It has NEVER been made from cats.)

Synthetic strings are inorganic and man-made. They include:

A: Polyurethane (PU) monofilaments.

Pros and cons of PU —

1. PRO – Elastic (playable)
2. PRO – Comfortable
3. PRO – Powerful
4. CON – Not very durable

B: Polyamides.

Pros and cons of polyamides —

1. PRO – Holds tension fairly well
2. PRO – Powerful
3. PRO – Controllable
4. Durability is better than PU.

C: Polyester and Co-polyester

Pros and cons of polyesters/co-polyesters —

1. PRO – Durable
2. PRO – Controllable
3. PRO – Accentuates existing topspin
4. CON – Not elastic (not playable or comfortable)
5. CON – Does not hold tension

Within these families, strings can be constructed in ways that offer specific benefits. For example, strings in all three families can be made stronger by making them thicker.