Tennis Racquet Maintenance: What Players Need to Know

There are two key areas to focus on when maintaining your tennis racquet:

1) Strings

2) Grip

1. Strings

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and racquet‑science research consistently show that strings account for around 50–70% of how a racquet feels and performs. In other words, the stringbed matters more than the frame.

Factory Strings vs. a Fresh Restring. Most racquets come pre‑strung with factory strings. While they’re fine for getting started, there are a few issues: 

You don’t know how long they’ve been in the racquet

You don’t know what string type was used

You don’t know what tension they were strung at

Getting your racquet restrung for the first time gives you a baseline — a consistent starting point for how your racquet should feel.

Strings Lose Tension Over Time

All strings lose tension, even if you don’t play often. To restore performance, they must be fully replaced.

For context: most professional players restring their racquets every single day, sometimes multiple times per day during tournaments.

How Often Should You Restring?

AI summarises the industry’s “Golden Rule”: Restring your racquet as many times per year as you play per week.

Here’s what that looks like:

Play once per week → restring every 6–12 months

Play 2–3 times per week → restring every 3–4 months

Play 4+ times per week → restring every 4–6 weeks

Types of Strings

There are three main string categories: Synthetic Gut (SG); Polyester (PO); Multifilament (MF)  

(Natural gut is also an option, but less common today.)

Which Strings Should You Choose?

If you restring every 3–12 months, AI suggests using SG or MF, as they hold tension better over time.

If you restring every 4–6 weeks, consider full polyester or a hybrid (PO + SG/MF). These offer more control and spin but lose tension faster.

Before you talk to your stringer, you can use AI to help identify the best string type and tension for your racquet, playing style, and frequency.

2. Grips

There are two types of grips:

Replacement Grips (RG) – thicker, more cushioned, more expensive

Overgrips (OG) – thinner, cheaper, designed to go on top of the replacement grip

Grip Maintenance Tips

When you buy a new racquet, it’s recommended to immediately add an overgrip on top of the original grip.

Replace the overgrip whenever it becomes worn, slippery, or loses tackiness.

Replace the replacement grip when it becomes compressed, hard, or loses its shape after long-term use.