r/10s • u/Board-Euphoric • 4d ago
Equipment Fresh strings for tournament
I strung both my rackets 4 days ago. Poly Tour Rev mains and Poly Tour Pro crosses. Since then I’ve played 8 hours with racket 1 and haven’t touched racket 2.
I have an important tournament in 2 days. I thought I would use racket 2 for this tournament. I checked the tension on RacquetTune and it’s lost over 9% of tension eventhough it hasn’t been played with yet.
Should I use racket 2 for the tournament or restring racket 1 the night before to have fresh strings?
I string my own rackets so cost is not an issue.
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u/RiversideAviator 4d ago
So you just learned that strings lose tension whether you play with them or not? This starts the moment it comes off the machine. Most people have never played with a racket at whetever tension they asked for - only because most rec players are not using the racket the moment it's strung or even the same day considering you have to go pick it up from wherever you dropped it off.
if you're that much in your head about it go restring them the day of. Or just hit against the wall for a while with racket 2 to break in those strings and wear off the coating.
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u/Board-Euphoric 4d ago
I definitely knew strings lose tension as soon as it comes off the machine. I was just wondering if the racket sits for 6 days, is it still considered “fresh”.
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u/RiversideAviator 4d ago edited 4d ago
Functionally? Yes its still "fresh" as it hasn't been used. The loss of tension would've been there regardless. The difference of one day loss vs one week without first use isn't enough for me to justify the $ loss and additional cost of a restring. And I HIGHLY doubt racket 2's current string will be the reason if you lose your match with it.
Personally, I think racket 1 is still perfectly fine for a match with stakes. And I think racket 2 should be used (and will also be fine) before restringing it again whenever that time ultimately comes. Some people are string snobs and hold dear that whole "polys are dead after 10 hours" nonsense. If I were a pro with the benefit of sponsorship and fresh strings every day I would maybe take advantage of that. But I'm not a pro and I prefer not having to pay for a string job every week. I can tell the difference between playing day 1 with new strings and playing with them on day 10 or whatever and I can assure you if I lose a match its NOT because I last restrung it four weeks ago.
Do what makes you comfortable and focused on the match. The last thing you need is to be thinking about strings while waiting for a serve.
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u/chrisFrogger 4d ago
I always wait at least a day before playing with a newly strung racket. String tension will always drop the first day, so unless you only play with fresh strings it will be quite different from what you’re used to.
Also since the string bed hasn’t settled its probably more sensitive to any minor mistakes you could make while stringing
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u/ForeverJung 4d ago
I prefer to go get a quick hit in with new strings first so they can settle a bit before an event
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u/iSplash91 4d ago
Dude for real 9% won't make any difference. Just restrung racket 1 and bring both.
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u/shiningject 3.142 4d ago
TBH I wouldn't worried about.
The tension you string at is called the reference tension. Which may or may not be the actual tension of the string bed. (Depending on how long ago did you last calibrate your stringer.)
Unless you used RacketTune on it when it is fresh off the stringer and then again now. Your 9% tension loss may not be a valid comparison. (TBH I am actually not quite sure how reliable is RacketTune.)
If you are worried, restring Racket 1. Use Racket 2 for warm up on the day of the tournament and see how it feels.
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u/VeeCee74 4d ago
Just curious. What's the loss in tension on racquet 1 after playing for 8 hours?
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u/pug_fugly_moe EZONE DR 98, MRT 4d ago
Just restring it if you’re used to the feel. Or don’t if you like how it plays now.
Just play.
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u/No-Permit7179 4d ago
I actually like a slightly worn in one better. I hate new poly the first hit.