The String Breaker’s Dilemna
What’s the perfect solution for the string breaker? The truth is, there isn’t one, unless you’re the type of player who could care less about the “feel” of the racquet and stiff strings have no physical effect on you. To understand this issue a little better, let’s look at some different types of string breakers.
AVERAGE string breakers are those that may break strings once in a great while. In fact, they might even feel proud of themselves that they actually broke a string for a change. WOW-am I hitting the ball that hard?
FREQUENT string breakers will break strings every 3-4 weeks. This is the category that’s the most difficult for the stringer to address. These players are usually playing at the 4.5 NTRP level or higher, serving with good pace and hitting the ball with heavy slice or topspin off the ground. Because of their level of play, they’re usually more sensitive to the “feel” of the racquet, preferring a lighter gauge (thinner) string or maybe even natural gut to enhance the control and touch they seek from the racquet.
CHRONIC string breakers can and often do break strings every time they walk onto the court. A set of string might last them one set of tennis and they know that if they get 2-3 hours of play from a string job they’re doing good.
Keep in mind that there are a multitude of strings on the market and many are targeted at string breakers. However, remember that as with any product, there’s a certain level of marketing jargon that accompanies any product and strings are no exception.
BREAKING IT DOWN
AVERAGE string breakers need not worry. You’re not breaking strings often enough that it becomes an issue. Remember to string on a regular basis and you should be ok. A general rule of thumb is to restring as many times a year as you play each week and you should be fine.
FREQUENT string breakers have to be more involved with their stringer. There are strings that can solve your problems of premature breaking, but they’re much stiffer than a typical synthetic. These usually include Kevlar and polyester hybrids, which consist of different main and cross strings. The mains (vertical) strings are where the Kevlar or polyester is used, and the crosses (horizontal) strings will be a typical synthetic gut or natural gut if you choose to use the very best. Another option is to switch to a thicker gauge version of the current string you’re using if it’s available. Either way, you’re going to give up a lot of “feel” in your racquet and most of the time players at higher levels aren’t willing to make that sacrifice. In that case, make sure you’re using a racquet with a tighter (more dense) string pattern and try string savers. These little devices can enhance the overall life of the string, sometimes doubling it. There is some debate about whether string savers affect play or tension but it’s been the authors experience that string savers have such little affect on either that it becomes a mute point. If you question the viability of these little devices you needn’t look any further than Pete Sampras for their justification. Pete’s been using the Babolat Elastocross for quite some time now and it didn’t seem to keep him from winning a few Grand Slam titles. Their basic function is to minimize the notching that takes places when the main and cross strings rub against each other during play.
CHRONIC string breakers are rarely found at the recreational level so many stringers don’t need to worry about this too much. However, if you’re working with satellite or professional level players it’s a different ballgame. Even then, it’s somewhat of a non-issue because these players will string after each match, whether or not the racquet was even used. The name of the game for these players is maximum control, not durability, and most of these players are on some sort of program with their string supplier anyway, so cost is not a factor.
Keep in mind that there are a lot of reasons that make strings break or lose their tension much too quickly. A few of these are:
1. Construction or physical make-up of string used
2. Gauge of string used
3. Frequency of play
4. How much time you play – most synthetic strings are good for an average of 20-30 hrs of play before they start losing their zip & feel
5. Style of play-meaning excessive topspin or slice as opposed to hitting flat (no spin)
6. String pattern density of the racquet
7. How hard you’re hitting the ball
8. Framing a ball-hitting the ball off of the side of the frame, which results in tremendous stress on the string where it enters the grommet, usually snapping the string at impact. There’s nothing your stringer can do to correct this problem. This is player induced
9. Extreme temperature changes-leaving it in the car in the heat of the day even for a short time can cause the strings to lose tension. Checking your racquets at the airport is another no-no. From ground zero to 30,000 feet the temperature can go from 80 degrees to well below zero in less than 15 minutes and your racquet strings will pay the price.
10. Stringers error-I’ve seen some pretty terrible string jobs and many mass retailers use inexperienced employees to do their stringing. This inexperience can result in sloppy, loose string jobs, miss-weaves, notching of the string during installation, and damaging the string by trying to force an awl through a shared hole for the tie-off. Racquets can pay the price too due to incorrect mounting prior to string installation. Ask questions before you turn your racquet over for service. Find out who does the stringing, are they certified, a member of any organization that offers testing to sharpen their skills, or simply the kid that was pulled out of the scuba diving section because someone needed a string job!
Racquet stringing is certainly not rocket science, but there are a lot of factors involved in determining the right string for each individual player. The best thing you can do is find someone you’re comfortable working with and stick with them for as long as you can. Consistency is a major factor and this comes from trust in the beginning and forming a good working relationship with your stringer. A good stringer will welcome the challenge of working with a string breaker and be happy to offer suggestions to solve any problem a player might encounter.
If you’re wondering where to find a good stringer,CALL ME :)