Move lower
You want more comfort or easy depth, you are trying a stiff poly, your frame is small or dense, or your current setup feels boardy.
Frame-range-first reference
Tennis String Tension Chart by String Type & Goal
Start with the range printed on your racquet. Then choose a lower, middle, or upper starting point based on string construction and the response you want—without copying a pro number that belongs to a different frame and restring schedule.
Starting points
Construction × player objective
These are starting windows, not target measurements. The lower column favors power and comfort; the upper column favors a firmer, more controlled response for players who supply their own pace.
| Construction | Power & comfort | Balanced all-court | Control & spin | Construction range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polyester / co-poly | 44–48 lbs (20–21.8 kg) | 47–51 lbs (21.3–23.1 kg) | 50–54 lbs (22.7–24.5 kg) | 44–54 lbs (20–24.5 kg) |
| Hybrid | 46–50 lbs (20.9–22.7 kg) | 49–53 lbs (22.2–24 kg) | 52–56 lbs (23.6–25.4 kg) | 46–56 lbs (20.9–25.4 kg) |
| Synthetic gut / nylon | 50–54 lbs (22.7–24.5 kg) | 53–57 lbs (24–25.9 kg) | 56–60 lbs (25.4–27.2 kg) | 50–60 lbs (22.7–27.2 kg) |
| Multifilament | 50–54 lbs (22.7–24.5 kg) | 53–57 lbs (24–25.9 kg) | 56–60 lbs (25.4–27.2 kg) | 50–60 lbs (22.7–27.2 kg) |
| Natural gut | 50–54 lbs (22.7–24.5 kg) | 53–57 lbs (24–25.9 kg) | 56–60 lbs (25.4–27.2 kg) | 50–60 lbs (22.7–27.2 kg) |
Starting construction ranges: Wilson Sporting Goods. Lower-tension power/comfort and higher-tension control guidance: Babolat. Objective columns divide each published construction range into overlapping lower, middle, and upper starting windows.
Step one
Use the range printed on your racquet
The frame manufacturer’s range is your guardrail. If your racquet says 50–60 lbs (22.7–27.2 kg), a balanced nylon or multifilament starting point is around 53–57 lbs (24–25.9 kg). For a full bed of polyester, use the lower part of the frame range or the published 44–54 lb (20–24.5 kg) poly starting range—whichever is more conservative for your frame and comfort.
Change one variable at a time. Move by about 2 lbs (1 kg), keep the same string and gauge, and write down the result. Large jumps make it harder to learn what actually improved.
Mains and crosses
How to tension a hybrid
The main strings dominate much of the stringbed’s response. In a gut/poly or multi/poly hybrid, start inside the 46–56 lb (20.9–25.4 kg) hybrid range and normally string the polyester component about 2 lbs (1 kg) lower than the softer string. Respect the frame range and the string manufacturer’s limits.
A player seeking comfort might try 50 lbs (22.7 kg) in a soft main and 48 lbs (21.8 kg) in a poly cross. A player seeking a firmer response might begin at 54 lbs (24.5 kg) / 52 lbs (23.6 kg). Treat those as examples—not universal recipes.
Fine-tuning
What should move your starting point?
Stay near the middle
You are learning a new string, want a neutral benchmark, or need a dependable starting point before measuring change.
Move higher
You swing fast, create your own pace, and want a firmer launch—but only while staying comfortable and inside the frame’s safe range.
Gauge, head size, string pattern, temperature, altitude, and string age all change the result. That is why the useful comparison is your current reading versus your own fresh-string baseline.
Quick answers
Tension chart FAQ
References
Sources behind the chart
The ranges combine first-party manufacturer starting guidance with technical context on string construction and measured stringbed behavior. Our editorial standards explain how evidence and practical starting points are kept distinct.
Turn a starting number into a useful trend
Measure the same racquet over time and learn when it leaves your preferred range.
Measure With String Tension AI