Tennis String Tension Guide

Tension is how tightly the strings are pulled across your racket, measured in lbs or kg. Lower tension gives you more power. Higher tension gives you more control.

Most tennis strings are strung between 40 and 65 lbs, and our polyester strings have a recommended range of 43 to 55 lbs.

The quickest way to find your number is to start in the middle of the range printed on your racket. From there, you adjust for your strings, your style and your level.

We'll go through each of those, then look at what the pros use and why your tension never stays put for long.

What Tension Should You Use?

Racket

Your racket tells you where to begin. Look inside the throat or along the frame and you'll find a range, usually around 50 to 60 lbs.

That range is the manufacturer's guidance, not a hard limit.

Going a few lbs above or below won't damage anything. It just moves you away from how the frame was designed to play.

The middle of that range is the best place to start.

Then it helps to know how your racket already behaves.

A larger head and an open pattern like 16x19 play livelier, while a smaller head and a closed pattern like 18x20 play firmer.

From there, you can choose to lean into how your racket plays or balance it out.

If your racket already gives you plenty of power, stringing a little higher keeps it in check. If it feels firm, a little lower opens it up.

String

Once you have your starting point, your string decides whether you move up or down.

Softer strings like multifilament, synthetic gut and natural gut already have plenty of power. They're usually strung higher to stop the ball flying long.

Polyester is stiffer, with less natural power, so it suits a lower tension.

Our strings follow the same logic. We recommend stringing Zero, Sync, Slap and Vivo 2 lbs lower than your usual polyester setup, within a range of 43 to 55 lbs.

The reason is that our Signature Snapback technology in Zero, Sync and Slap performs better at slightly lower tensions. Vivo doesn't carry Signature Snapback, but it plays firmer, so the same 2 lbs drop keeps it comfortable.

If you only use one string in your stringbed, we recommend stringing your crosses 2 lbs lower than your mains. Looser crosses let the mains slide more easily, which adds spin.

Hybrids follow the same rule when both strings are the same type.

However, when you pair polyester with a softer string, the polyester goes 2 lbs looser instead, whether it sits in the mains or the crosses.

Style

With your racket and string set, your playing style decides which way to fine-tune.

If you want more power and spin, lower your tension.

Aggressive baseliners gain the most, since a looser stringbed launches heavy topspin higher over the net. Big servers get easier power on serve.

If you want more control, string at a higher tension.

Counter punchers absorb pace and send it back, and a firmer stringbed gives them a more predictable response. Serve-and-volley players get more precise placement.

All-court players sit somewhere in between. Start in the middle of your range, play a few sessions, and adjust once you know what your game is missing.

Level

Your level is the final factor to consider, and it's the least important. It's an adjustment on top of your racket, string and style, not a starting point.

Beginners usually do better at a lower tension, where the stringbed is more comfortable and power comes easier. As your swing gets faster, you'll want more control, and moving to a higher tension offers that.

The pros show that level matters far less than your racket, string and style.

Frances Tiafoe strings around 42 lbs and Jannik Sinner around 61.5 lbs, yet both play at the very top of the game.

Is Higher or Lower Tension Better?

	Lower Tension (below 52 lbs)	Higher Tension (above 52 lbs)
Power	More	Less
Control	Less	More
Comfort	Softer, easier on the arm	Firmer, more shock
Spin	More string movement	Less string movement
Durability	Notches sooner	Notches slower

A higher or lower tension is not automatically better. Tension is a trade-off between power and control, with comfort, spin and durability shifting along with it.

If you're unsure, around 52 lbs is a balanced starting point for most players.

Move 2 lbs at a time from there. Go up if balls keep flying long, and go down if you're struggling for depth or your arm is starting to feel it.

For more on why it matters, watch our String Talk on string tension.

What Tension Do Pro Players Use?

Pros use the full range, from the low 40s right up into the 60s. It's the clearest evidence that there is no single best tension.

Their setups also change between events, surfaces and conditions. That's why the table below gives each player a range rather than one number.

Player	Tension (lbs)	Level
Jannik Sinner	61.5 to 64	High
Alexander Zverev	45 to 48	Low
Carlos Alcaraz	50.5 to 55	Medium
Daniil Medvedev	46.5 to 48.5	Low
Novak Djokovic	56 to 61.5	High
Frances Tiafoe	42 to 44	Low
Tommy Paul	50 to 53	Medium
Brandon Nakashima	52 to 54	Medium
Francisco Cerundolo	47 to 49	Low
Andrey Rublev	55 to 57.5	Medium

Figures are estimates from stringer reports and tournament string boards, checked in November 2026. We couldn't find reliable data for WTA players, so they aren't included.

Why Do Strings Lose Tension?

Strings start losing tension as soon as they're strung.

Every shot stretches them a little, and they never fully spring back to their original length.

Think of an elastic band that has been pulled one too many times. The biggest drop comes in the first day or so, then it carries on more slowly with every session.

Polyester is most affected by tension loss. It goes dead, meaning it loses its tension and life, long before it looks worn or breaks.

On court, that shows up as less control, balls flying long and a duller feel off the stringbed.

Dropping your tension won't solve it. A worn set that has lost tension doesn't play like a fresh set strung lower, because the string itself has lost its snapback.

The answer is to restring regularly.

A simple rule of thumb is to restring as many times a year as you play each week. If you play three times a week, that's three restrings a year.

If you want to restring less often, look for strings built for strong tension maintenance, which is how well a string holds its tension over time.

That's exactly what we built our strings for.

Signature Snapback technology helps Zero, Sync and Slap hold their tension, so they play better for longer between restrings.

To learn which string suits you best, try our String Finder.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do I Convert lbs to kg?

To convert lbs to kg, divide by 2.2.

Across the most common range, 45 lbs is 20.4 kg, 48 lbs is 21.8 kg and 50 lbs is 22.7 kg. Higher up, 52 lbs is 23.6 kg, 55 lbs is 24.9 kg, 58 lbs is 26.3 kg and 60 lbs is 27.2 kg.

The Tension Calculator at the top of this guide shows both for any other value.

What Tension Helps With Arm Discomfort?

A lower tension and a softer stringbed are the best place to start with arm discomfort. Try dropping your tension by 2 lbs first.

If you play a full bed of polyester, putting a softer string like a multifilament in the crosses takes some of the shock out of every hit.

If the pain persists, see a professional rather than playing through it.

Should I Change Tension in Hot or Cold Weather?

You can adjust your tension by about 2 lbs for the temperature, rather than starting again.

Heat makes strings play livelier, so choose a slightly higher tension. Cold makes them play stiffer, so choose a slightly lower tension.

Summary

Start in the middle of your racket's range, adjust for your string and your style, then use the trade-off between power and control to fine-tune.

As your swing gets faster, you may find yourself stringing a little higher for control.

Wherever you land, your tension won't stay there for long. Restring regularly and choose strings that are built with excellent tension maintenance.

If you want a string and tension matched to how you play, our String Finder is the best place to start.