Racket String Tension
The tightness at which a racket's strings are strung, usually measured in pounds or kilograms, which shapes the balance between power and control.
Definition
Racket string tension refers to how tightly the strings are pulled and held in the frame when a racket is strung, and it is normally expressed in pounds (lb) or kilograms (kg). Because the strings form the surface that contacts the ball or shuttle, their tension strongly influences how the racket feels and behaves on impact.
As a general rule, lower tension lets the string bed flex more and act like a trampoline that returns extra energy, favouring power, while higher tension flattens the response for a firmer, more predictable feel that favours control. The ideal figure varies by player, string type and racket, and strings gradually lose tension with use, which is why players restring periodically.
Scope: Recommended tension ranges differ by sport and racket; the racket manufacturer's stated range should be followed.
Where you’ll hear “racket string tension”
Sports that use this term:
Tennis
A singles or doubles racquet sport that blends agility, strategy and stamina on court.
Badminton
A fast indoor racquet sport played with a shuttlecock that rewards agility and touch.
Squash
A fast, high-intensity indoor racquet sport played inside an enclosed court where the walls stay in play.
Racquetball
A lively indoor racquet sport played on an enclosed court where the walls, and often the ceiling, stay in play.
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Equipment
- Tennis racquetA strung frame with a handle used to hit the ball in tennis.
- Padel racketA solid, stringless perforated racket used to play padel.
- Badminton racketA lightweight strung racket used to hit the shuttlecock in badminton.
- Squash racquetA slim strung racquet used to hit the ball against the walls in squash.
- Table tennis batA small wooden blade covered with rubber used to hit the ball in table tennis.
Skills
- Net playThe skill of controlling points close to the net with volleys and touch shots.
- RallyingThe skill of exchanging shots back and forth to build and win a point.
- ServingThe skill of putting the ball or shuttle into play to start a point or rally.
- Ball controlThe skill of receiving and settling the ball quickly so it is ready to use.
- ThrowingThe skill of propelling the ball accurately and with control using the arm.
Skills Academy
- Racket-sport skillsThe core skills of racket sports — serving, returning, rallying and controlling the net.
- Foundational skillsThe base skills almost every sport rests on — move, balance and control before anything else.
- Object-control skillsHandling a ball or implement — controlling, receiving, passing and moving it with intent.
- Ball-sport skillsThe skills that recur across ball games — control, passing, dribbling, shooting and defending.
Tactics
- Doubles formationHow a pair positions itself on court — one up, one back, or both at the net — to control space in doubles.
- Breakaway and pelotonThe cycling tension between the main pack riding together and small groups that break clear to gain time.
- Serve and volleyAn attacking tennis tactic where the server follows their serve to the net to finish the point with a volley.
- Baseline playA patient tennis style built around rallying from the back of the court and constructing points with groundstrokes.
- Net playControlling the point from close to the net with volleys, smashes and touch shots to cut down an opponent’s time.