Tennis string tension calculator

What tension actually changes

• Lower tension lets the strings stretch more. The ball leaves with more power and depth, and the racket feels softer on the arm.
• Higher tension makes the string bed firmer. The ball leaves with less power, so you can swing hard and keep it in.

The differences are real but small. Two or three pounds is the smallest change most players can feel.

Typical ranges by string

Polyester is stiff, so it is strung lower than softer strings. In a hybrid, the polyester is often strung a couple of pounds lower than the soft string.

Two rules that override everything here

• Stay inside the range printed on your racket. It is usually on the inside of the throat. Going outside it can damage the frame and void the warranty.
• Change one thing at a time. If the ball is flying long, go up two pounds next time. If it is landing short and your arm feels it, go down two.

Strings lose tension from the day they are strung, polyester fastest. If your racket felt great a month ago and feels dead now, it probably needs restringing rather than a different tension.