On Court Coaching: Strings

Everyone is always looking for new ways to give themselves an advantage on the court. This is seen by professional players such as Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick, who lost weight to improve mobility; Novak Djokovic, who switched to a gluten-free diet; and Andy Murray who hired multiple coaches so he can excel on different surfaces. Although these are all important, the role of strings that players use have become a greater factor as the game of tennis evolves.

The use of  polyester strings has definitely changed the way that tennis is played. Players are now moving from a more traditional serve and volley style to counterpunching behind the baseline. This is not intentional. Because the polyester strings give players more margin more error with increased spin, players are able to hit harder without having traditional technique. A modern example is, of course, Rafael Nadal who uses Babolat RPM Blast. This augments his heavy topspin on his forehand, giving him more margin for error even though he is hitting the ball harder than the players who played in the 70s and 80s. The latter players used more of a gut string which gives players more feel and finesse, skills conducive to serve-and-volley play. However, a combination of both of these strings is ideal, exemplified by legend Roger Federer who uses both poly and gut. This helps him with his all court game, characterized by initial baseline play and a finish at the net.

Although the type of strings can help a player's game, the tension at which the racquet is strung is also very crucial. The higher the tension the more control that a player has over the ball.This gives the player more accuracy and consistency. However, this comes at the cost of power which comes from lower tensions. The key to string tensions is finding a tension that is conducive to your game. For example, a counter puncher might want higher tensions so that he is able to control the ball as he moves around the baseline; however, a more aggressive player might want a lower tension so that he is able to gain more power and hit through the opponent.

This brings up another factor: conditions and the environment. The hotter the temperature is and the higher the altitude of the court, the more the ball flies through the air. This makes it harder to control the ball. Thus, a player might have to increase the tension he normally has in order to control the ball like he wants to. Conversely, if the environment is colder he might have to decrease the tension in order to get the same amount of sting that he normally does.