Your stringer is not at fault here

One of the most common problems racquet technicians run into is the misunderstanding people have as to why string breaks. Some players expect string to last forever and expect their stringer to install the “holy grail” of strings that gives them maximum control and power while lasting for 5 years. This is simply never going to happen and while we would be happy to offer such a phenomenal string, no such string exists.

So let’s talk a minute about what we can and cannot do for you, the consumer. We can counsel you as a player and consider all the variables with regards to your racquet set-up. With answers to the proper questions we can take you to a place where you’re going to be happy with how your particular racquet & string set-up performs and for the majority of players, you’ll also be happy with the longevity you get from that particular set-up.

We cannot magically string a better backhand, forehand, volley or overhead into your racquet. We can install the best string based on your profile but there are certain things you, as the player, will do to break it and there’s ABSOLUTELY NOTHING we can do to prevent it. There is no magic string out there that will remedy the problems that some players present when it comes to their racquets. So just what are these “problems”?

First and foremost, mishits are the biggest issue we face when it comes to pre-mature string breakage and trust us (technicians) when I say this. We can tell when this happens and when it does, the blame lands directly on you, the player and not the person who installed the string. Take a look at the following photos of string breaks that were caused by a mishit.

The top photo is a Babolat Pure Drive with a newer generation and softer polyester based string called Sidewinder. Note where the string broke, right in the middle in the very top of the frame. This was most likely due to a missed overhead or a framed ball on a serve–most likely the overhead if I were to guess. The middle photo is another Pure Drive strung with natural gut. As you can see, another clear mishit where the string snapped upon impact as confirmed by the player. And finally, the last racquet is a Babolat Aero Pro Drive where the string broke in the throat of the racquet. Notice that it broke in an area away from the knot, more towards the center at the bottom,  another good example of  a mishit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I would like to emphasize here is how very clear it is for a trained technician to determine why these breaks happen. We understand that these are tell tale signs that a good stringer will recognize and quite frankly, most players will have no clue as to why the string broke. After all, we’re all human, some more than others right? Even the best players mishit balls but they have one advantage that you don’t have. Most of them are sponsored and pay little if anything for their string. Interestingly enough, this would be a good time to point out however, that they do in fact, pay for stringing while at tournaments like the U.S. Open etc and you would be very surprised to know just how much they pay per racquet. It’s far more than you think!

The point here is that you’re stringer, if properly trained, knows why these breaks occur and it would behoove you (if you know or remember) to tell them that yes, I certainly mishit that ball. Why? Because it helps us in determining our next move. While we cannot prevent you from mishitting balls, there are certainly strings that are less likely to snap on mishits than others and it may very well be that you might have to switch to another string……….or a much bigger racquet!