Is it worth restringing a tennis racquet?
Isabella Ramos
Updated on June 14, 2026
Assuming you're willing to spend some money on your equipment, we'd recommend this player re-string their racket once a month. Whether you're playing in leagues or starting to enter a tournament or two, it's important to maintain your strings' tension for consistent performance as you start to compete.
How much does it cost to restring a tennis racket?
All in all, expect to pay about $10 to $20 for the labor. So depending on your string choice, you may end up paying from $15 to $70 to have your racquet strung. But for most people, the costs will be in the $30 to $40 range, give or take.
Is it worth restringing a cheap racquet?
Even if you know how to string, the value of your time is very low, and you use cheap string, you would be better off buying a bunch of new cheap racquets than a stringing machine.
Does restringing a racket make a difference?
Do the strings I have in my racket make a difference to my game? Absolutely. Getting the right strings can help with shot delivery, manage elbow injuries and improve your overall game.
What happens if I don't restring my tennis racket?
What are the effects of not restringing enough? If you don't restring often enough, chances are you'll spend much of your tennis life compensating for your changing string tension instead of honing your swing. Consistency is the key.
32 related questions foundHow 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 dead?
Here are the signs that you need to know:
- Strings are “fraying” significantly.
- Strings are moving; much more crooked than normal after points.
- Strings make a “thud” sound at contact.
- You feel that your ball has far less control than normal.
How many times can you restring a racquet?
As a general rule you should re-string each year as often as you play per week. If you play twice per week, you should restring your racket twice per year. All strings gradually stretch and lose their resiliency or go dead, even if you play infrequently.
How often should you Regrip your tennis racket?
Remember - a lot of factors determine how quickly a grip needs to be changed - humidity, the intensity of play, perspiration. A general rule you can follow is to replace your overgrip every 6-8 hours of play, and your replacement grip 1-3 times per year.
Do strings really make a difference?
string just by itself will not make a big difference - a certain string will perform very good at a certain tension in a certain stick (sw, pattern), while playing completely crappy in another stick, and you don't neccessarily have to go to extremes with ultra stiff sticks and ultra soft ones to find this out.
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 change my tennis 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.
Can you restring any tennis racket?
If your tennis racquet is old or damaged, you can re-string it without having to buy a new racquet. If you don't play tennis that often, it'll be cheaper to pay someone to restring your racquet. However, if you play tennis several times a week, it might be worth investing a few hundred dollars in a stringing machine.
What tension is best for tennis racket?
- Beginner: 44-45lbs (20-20.5kg)
- Intermediate: 46-47lbs (21-21.5kg)
- Advanced: 48-49lbs (21.75-22kg)
How much is Roger Federer racket?
A tennis racket used by Switzerland's Roger Federer in the 2011 French Open final against Rafael Nadal has been sold for a record price at auction. The red and white Wilson Six One Tour model raised $55,000 (£42,000/€46,000) at the online Goldin Auctions sale.
How long does a tennis racket last?
For a big hitter, training regularly and playing tournaments, rackets last about 1 year and tend to lose stiffness after that. A club player who does not hit the ball particularly hard and looks after their rackets can have rackets last for 10 years or perhaps more without problems.
Why do tennis players use white grips?
The answer is absorbency. Tournagrips absorb sweat better than just about any other overgrip on the market. That is why it has such a strong following. Until recently, with the introduction of the “white grips” (Wilson's Pro Overgrip, Yonex's Grap, etc.), players who used overwraps used Tournagrip.
How do you replace a tennis racket grip?
How to Replace a Grip on a Tennis Racket
- Remove your old grip. Peel off the grip, starting from the top of the handle. ...
- Remove the staple. ...
- Slide on the rubber band. ...
- Secure your racket. ...
- Wrap in the right direction. ...
- Wrap the right amount. ...
- Snip the excess. ...
- Tape it up.
What is the difference between a replacement grip and overgrip?
The replacement grip is used when the original grip is removed and placed in its place. An overgrip is placed over the grip to get more cushioning, sweat absorption, width, and traction. That being said, the difference between these grips is quite clear when you know about them.
Do tennis strings lose tension over time?
All tennis strings will lose tension over time. They begin to lose tension as soon as they leave the stringing machine. Depending on the type of string, in the first 24 hours after stringing, strings can lose roughly 10 per cent of their tension, and this continues when you play with the racquet.
How long do polyester strings last?
The general rule of thumb is that polyester strings will play well for between 10-20 hours of play. From my testing, typically for the first 10 hours, the strings play well and then somewhere between the ten and 20-hour mark, playability drops off a cliff completely.
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 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.
Why do tennis players change rackets with new balls?
The reason behind the frequent racket changes made during matches by top professionals is primarily to ensure that the racket performs exactly as they wish, with no variation and little chance of string breakage.