In this article we will advise you to rope as often as possible, but what does that really mean? Well, we would say that the peak time for intermediate players is between 3 and 12 weeks playing once or twice a week.
For a competitive amateur player, the average record time is 2 to 8 weeks if he plays +/- two to three times per week.
For a competitive player of good level, the average record time is 1 to 2 weeks if he plays more than 4 times per week.
There are some factors to consider when is the ideal time to put new strings in your racquet:
1) Performance
Every time you hit the ball, it impacts the string. If you see that the ball is coming out more often than usual, it is probably because the strings are too loose. With worn strings, the response may be a little less precise with more direct errors. There are strings that, over time, gain power and there are strings that, over time, lose their capacity and become completely cold, dead and hard.
So even better to change as often as possible.
2) Comfort
Once you've found your perfect tension setup, it's best to get the same feel every time (which means changing the string as often as possible). First, because your body gets used to the feel and stiffness/softness of the string.
The vibrations from the racket are familiar to your body and if it hasn't caused any damage in the past, it shouldn't create any problems in the future either. Of course, if we are talking about comfort, we can only advise using softer strings with lower tensions and “softer” string pattern designs like 16×19.
If comfort is your priority, we can advise you to try a hybrid composition that we will recommend to you at the store.
3) Maintaining tension
There are strings on the market that play great and suddenly have the tension drop so much that the performance and feel are completely changed. The better the tension maintenance, the longer your performance and better ball feel.
4) Durability of the ropes
Have you ever seen the rope break in the middle of a tie-break? When playing matches, it is best to play with a new string configuration that is less likely to break. It's an unnecessary hassle to think about when and if your string might break during a match.
If you hear a weird sound during a strike or your strings move a lot when moving them by hand, they may soon break, so be careful!
The thinner the gauge, the greater the risk of breakage.
5) Your sensitivity to changes
There are players who pay great attention to their setup and can sense very small nuances. These will have to change as often as possible in order to play with the same sensations constantly.
On the other hand, there are players who don't really care about their setup and can adapt to it over and over again. In their situation, the only remaining factor is the comfort of the rope.
We will be happy to advise you according to your type and style of play, in order to find the best possible configuration adapted to your needs. For those who have tennis elbow, we have implemented a choice of rope and tension that will reduce the risk of pain.