string life

[Lawn Tennis]

I just finished playing a frustrating best of five match. I won {4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(9), 6-3}. The first three sets I was using an almost brand new Head Liquidmetal Radical that's only three weeks old. After double faulting away both the first and second set for my opponent, I decided I needed to take some heat off my first serve. It kind of worked as I took the third set, but I swear my first serve probably averaged 50-60 mph! By the fourth set, I really felt like either I forgot how to play tennis, or something was wrong with this racquet. I could hear the strings moving everytime I served.. that had to be the problem. Before the tie-break began in the fourth set, I pulled out my newly strung racquet of the same make and model. I won the fourth and went on the win the fifth thankfully. Now I'm blaming my horrible start on my equipment, particularly the strings. Take a look at the pictures of both the three week old racquet and the newly strung racquet. The only reason I think it may just be psychological is cause the racquet is only three weeks old! Should the strings really be moving around like that?

This is the three week old racquet. Do strings really go bad that quickly? It comes prestrung, so maybe it was just sitting around for too long..?


Here's the newly strung racquet, I used to close the set out.

[tennisking1]

Re-string it. It will take care of the problem.

[Lawn Tennis]

Re-string it. It will take care of the problem.

do you have any speculations as to why the strings would need replaced so quickly?

[tennisking1]

do you have any speculations as to why the strings would need replaced so quickly?

Heat during shipping. It causes the strings to lose tension. Many players used to keep their racquets in the cooler on court to keep the tension right. Plus, if you ordered the racquet, they may have done a half-a-- string job on the racquet. No worries, just cut them out and restring.

[LeeD]

Depends string tension, type, your hitting style.....
Some people, like me in my younger years, can break strings about 1 week after stringing, playing 3 hours a day and hitting hard.
Other's, the string lasts one full year, and they're about the same level as me, but don't try to hit hard (they're more consistent).
So, if you want lasting strings, use 18x20 patterns, string over 60, use thick gauge, and your strings feel like lead, but lasts.
Conversely, using 16x19 patterns, under 55, 17 gauge, and your strings don't make a week when you're playing hard.....