Do poly strings break?
Daniel Martin
Updated on July 27, 2026
Most pro players use some form of a polyester string in their racquet. Either in a full bed or as a hybrid. They hit the ball hard and with a lot of spin and break strings every two hours. Club players might put a poly string in their racquet and the string never breaks.
How often do polyester strings break?
Polyester strings are a tricky one to follow, and there's no real calendar rule to follow. Generally speaking, while polyester strings are hard to break for most club players, they go dead after 10 to 20 hours of play.
How long do poly strings last?
The general rule of thumb is that polyester strings will play well for between 10-20 hours of play.
How often should you replace poly strings?
If you play with polyester strings, we recommend you restring every 4 to 6 weeks because polyester strings lose tension much faster than other strings. Of course, if you pop you strings more often restring as needed.
Is polyester string durable?
The Most Durable
Bottom line: The Wilson Poly Pro is a firm polyester-based string with a very controlled, low powered response. It is perfect for intermediate and advanced players with long, fast strokes, looking for a durable tennis string.
23 related questions foundAre poly strings good?
Are polyester tennis strings good? Yes, polyester tennis strings are fantastic for players looking for spin, control, and durability. However, they're not for everyone because they're also low powered, lack comfort, and typically require frequent restringing because they don't hold their tension as well.
Should I try polyester strings?
Pros and many advanced level tennis players opt for polyester strings for a variety of reasons, but mainly they are durable and provide lots of control and spin potential. Because of their firm make-up polyester strings naturally are control-oriented, and the spin potential is unmatched.
Are synthetic gut strings good?
This solid core string offers great all-around playability. It is one of the better value strings on the market. Offers comfort and controllable power. Offering great all-around playability, this Synthetic Gut is perfect for bargain hunters who don't want to sacrifice performance.
What causes tennis strings to break?
Dirty clamps, mishandled string, and improper stringing techniques at home or in the shop can result in string breakage on the court. Broken strings are part of tennis, and all strings, no matter the type or cost, will eventually break if not replaced on a regular basis.
What tennis strings last the longest?
The most durable material is polyester, while natural gut strings are the least durable. A string with a gauge of 15 is considered to be "thick" and will tend to last longer.
How do you know when poly strings are dead?
String Movement – When poly goes dead, it tends to lose its ability to stay in place. This is referred to as its resiliency, or more commonly as its ability “to snap back” into place. Often though, this means it is VERY dead. It often can go dead long before string movement occurs.
Do poly strings lose tension?
Polyester loses more than nylon which loses more than gut. Strings stabilize quickly after the few first minutes. But they lose a lot of tension on the very first few hits, as much as 20 pounds in 20 hits on the test machine.
What tension should poly strings be?
When it comes to the actual tension, most manufacturers recommend stringing elastic materials like nylon or natural gut around 50-60 lbs. If using a stiffer string like polyester, drop the tension to avoid arm injuries.
How long do tennis strings last?
Fabian's rule of thumb is that you should change your strings as many times in a year as you play in a week. In other words, if you play three times a week, you should have your racket restrung three times a year.
How often do pros restring a tennis racquet?
Touring pros restring every day. Recreational players restring anywhere from every three or four times they play to once a decade, or until the strings break.
How do I know if my tennis strings are broken?
Do What Feels Right
If you are a fairly conditioned player, you will be able to feel when your strings begin to feel “off.” Many players will find that their rackets are ready to be restrung before the strings break. Don't be shy to get your racket restrung before the strings break, or your game will suffer.
Why don't my tennis strings break?
Playing doubles is the reason probably (not a lot of groundies in doubles). Also not hitting hard enough and/or with enough spin. I'm a 5.0 (probably used to be 5.5 at my peak), and even at this level, people don't always break strings that often.
How do you keep a tennis string from breaking?
There are a few options for how to reduce how often you're replacing your tennis strings due to a break.
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Suggestions for Reducing the Frequency of Broken Tennis Strings
- Try a New String Material. ...
- Use a Different String Gauge. ...
- Lower the Tension. ...
- Try a Hybrid Pattern.
How long does Hyper G last?
Hyper-G posted very impressive scores for tension maintenance in our Tennis Warehouse University String Lab. This bodes well for big hitters who want a poly that doesn't “ bag out ” and lose its magic after a couple sessions. Both testers found this string to last about three weeks before needing to re-string.
Is Poly better than synthetic gut?
Because of the solid center core, synthetic gut strings are tougher and hold tension better than multifilament or co-polyester constructions.
What strings do tennis pros use?
Polyester strings are the string type that most pros are using on the ATP and WTA tour.
How long does it take to restring a racquet?
On average, most people should be able to string a tennis racket in about 30 minutes while maintaining complete focus and still paying attention to detail, 30 minutes to string a squash racket and 45 minutes to string a badminton racket.
When should I replace my racquet strings?
Considering the amount of money you plan to spend on tennis, you can safely adopt the following rule of thumb: racket strings should be replaced as many times a year as you play tennis per week. Unless, of course, they break sooner than that.
How often should I restring my squash racket?
Racket strings don't necessarily have to break to need replacing. If you're playing frequently (three or more times per week) we recommend that you restring your racket at least three times a year to ensure optimum performance as all strings will lose their elasticity and deteriorate with constant use.