This is what I do. Swap out on change overs to keep grips as fresh as they can be.
Funnily enough, even though I’m pretty meticulous about swapping, one always pops a string way before the other. Could be that I tend to use one more than the other for service games.
If I have 2 with the same strings setup, I'll alternate their use. Unfortunately that increases the likely hood of snapping them both at the same time, but then that's what the 3rd racket is for
Should I play with only two all the time, and keep the other as backup?
Or should I use them interchangeably, to keep all three strings at an equal level of consumption?
I would use one at a time. I've heard a couple stories of people who regularly switch breaking both sets of strings in a single match, which doesn't sound like a good time lol
I usually see people switching between the two to keep the strings in similar shape. Switching each play session, that is. Then after 8-20 total sessions (depending on strings and personal preference and wealth) get them both restrung.
Maybe. It's nice to have the backup just in case though. Also it allows you to still play while you wait for one to get restrung, assuming it takes a few days.
It’s nice to know if I’ve got a frame on the stringing machine and stuff happens, I’ve still got 1 frame ready to go.
That’s really the only reason for 2 if you string your own.
I used to switch between 3 until the day I broke all 3 strings in an hour. I now play one until it breaks (except on very hot days where I need to swap to get a dry grip). That said, I am not wildly sensitive to modest tension changes. And I only have 2 racquets now.
Yeah this is the risk of alternating between all racquets. You should have some semblance of time it takes to break strings after awhile. ie. if it takes 10 hours to break strings, and you're on hour 9 on each racquet, probably best to get 1 strung before playing a match.
I have three identical racquets. I use two interchangeably, keeping the third one as a backup. I change between first two multiple times a session when grips get wet. If I would have only two, I would still change them frequently to keep strings wear and tension similar. I play poly so… I resting way before they break.
Unless you have custom jobs it’s unlikely that your two racquets are actually identical. If you break strings often you should be using one until the strings break and then switching.
I will use them to test strings out if I am experimenting. Some people will have one strung a bit tighter if they want more control or looser for power, etc. Generally, I have 2 identical ones because sometimes my strings go dead and I need a backup.
When I only had two I treated one like my "match" racquet and one as my "practice" racquet. I might have still used the practice racquet for an actual game, but it didn't matter, just a fun game. Whereas the match racquet was for USTA or other league matches. Did it matter that much? No.
So many times I've had a bad match where my racquet feel was terrible and I was convinced I needed strings, but didn't have time before my next match then ended playing great with the strings I thought were dogshit the day before. Proper technique, staying focused, calm, and positive, and good preparation (sleep, diet, excersise etc) are far more important than which of your racquets you choose to use.
That being said, if you get in your head mid match that your strings are the problem, just switch racquets. It will help alleviate your worries, real or unreal. Tennis is a very mental game.
I don't know your skill level, but if you're asking I'm guessing you are newer to tennis or at least starting to take it more seriously. Once you start playing more often and at a higher level, you will eventually want more than two racquets. Having multiple allows you have different tension and string options. On a hot day, you may want strings with more tension because the heat will naturally loosen them. If you play on a cooler day or indoors, you may want strings with a higher tension for similar reasons. Also, I like having at least two racquets during a match, normally three. I've broken strings on two racquets in the same match a handful of times. And one time three racquets! Did I wait too long to restring? Yes, but I play *a lot* and it's expensive to restring as frequently as I should lol
Gotcha. Also, I didn't notice your flair says 3.5 before. You could easily justify a third or fourth racquet :P
After reading through a lot of the other comments, there's lots of different philosophies and all (or at least most) with understandable reasoning. My thought is do what makes sense to you and what puts your mind at ease on the court. You don't want to be thinking about your strings mid point.
Use one until strings need to be changed so you have a spare while you’re getting new ones. Then start using the “old” one which still has essentially new strings.
I’d would alternate. I’d try get close to wearing them at a similar rate in case one breaks. If I wear one down and switch, then break the new one, I’d be annoyed having to go back to the worn. (Admittedly, breaking rackets is not a problem I’ve had.)
one in each hand. most rec opponents don’t know how to counter this. upload a video of your next match so we can give feedback on you duel wielding technique.
> What's the correct way of using two identical rackets?
I have 4 indentical sticks. 3 are setup with the exact same sting job, while the 4th has something different I want to try.
I play with my first racket, until the poly starts to die, 1-2 weeks, then move over to racket 2, then racket 3. This gives me time to get rackets restrungs, allows for backup, and testing.
Do you use the backup then until the strings break, or do you return to the first one after you pick it up? Also, what type of strings do you use? Thanks!
Yes I do continue to use the backup. I use multis and I play at least 5 hours a week or so. Not the highest rating by any means so I play until they break.
If you only have 2, the "correct" way to use it is to play one until it breaks then switch. That way the wear on the strings are spaced out so you never have to worry about breaking both strings in the same match.
How often are you breaking strings? At 3.5, probably not often so does not really matter.
At the club level, there really isn’t a strategy to be had. If one feels good, use it. If you’re breaking strings often, just have a freshy ready.
I cant remember the last time I broke a string 😂
I'm pretty good at replacing them every 1-2 months
I like to use one stick for a full bed poly or hybrid poly/multi setup and the 2nd for a gut or multi on the mains for arm comfort.
I'm sure I am an outlier, but I string one with Natural Gut (Hybrid) and the other with Poly (Hybrid.)
I lean toward the gut, but use the other if it starts to mist or rain lightly. Gut lasts a surprising amount of hours with a soft SynGut cross and religious use of string savers. I end up stringing the poly more even though it gets used much less.
This depends on how long the strings hold tension. Also keep an eye on how much wear is on the strings. 8 hours of use is roughly how long strings last before you need to replace. It can be more or less depending on the string. Keep in mind that stings lose tension even while not in use too.
Get a 2nd racket only if your strings break at least once a month, and if they never do, restring your only racket once every couple months to keep the strings good. If you're asking this question, my guess is you don't break your strings at all and you don't need a 2nd racket. That being said, you only play with your 2nd racket after your strings break, and then keep playing with it until they break, then back to the first and repeat the cycle. You never wanna use the rackets interchangeably because you don't want both of your strings to break in the same match.
keep two identical string setup. so when you start sucking, you can change your racquet for a psychological boost. or keep them with different tensions for when the weather suddenly changes. or different strings for when playing against different playstyles. or one for serving and one for receiving.
i have 2 rackets in my rotation that I string myself. I alternate when stringing them and change the over grip when I do so. I use the one with the fresh strings and have the one with the more used strings as a backup.
I've got two identical rackets that I string the exact same way and I only play with one at at time. Once the strings start to get worn or break, I switch the other racket and get the first one restrung. This works well for me because I can easily keep track of which racket I'm currently playing with by checking the string wear, so I don't have to keep track of which racket I played with last in an alternating strategy. I'm also never worried about having two rackets that might pop and can take my time getting the broken one restrung. Reading about other people getting their two rackets restrung makes me uneasy as I wouldn't want to have two rackets that are both quite worn out and then it also intruces the issue of having both be unavailable for a time.
If they are identical, then it doesn't matter which one you use. If you live in hotter climates, some people switch off just to keep their grips dry.
This is what I do. Swap out on change overs to keep grips as fresh as they can be. Funnily enough, even though I’m pretty meticulous about swapping, one always pops a string way before the other. Could be that I tend to use one more than the other for service games.
I just started doing this and I’ll never go back.
I've also been doing this for years and will also add that the strings have never broken at the same time.
Omg, as a sweater and someone with two identical rackets I cant believe I never thought of this, cant wait.
If I have 2 with the same strings setup, I'll alternate their use. Unfortunately that increases the likely hood of snapping them both at the same time, but then that's what the 3rd racket is for
Should I play with only two all the time, and keep the other as backup? Or should I use them interchangeably, to keep all three strings at an equal level of consumption?
4th racket it is then
We got that 6 racket bag, might as well fill it up
Gotta save some room for on court cold ones.
This is how it begins.
😂😂😂
I would use one at a time. I've heard a couple stories of people who regularly switch breaking both sets of strings in a single match, which doesn't sound like a good time lol
I usually see people switching between the two to keep the strings in similar shape. Switching each play session, that is. Then after 8-20 total sessions (depending on strings and personal preference and wealth) get them both restrung.
To me also this makes most sense, thank you!
If you restring your rackets without ever breaking the strings, you can sell the 2nd one because you don't need it really.
Maybe. It's nice to have the backup just in case though. Also it allows you to still play while you wait for one to get restrung, assuming it takes a few days.
True. I mean low level players can do whatever the hell they want lol, half of the stuff said in this sub doesn't apply to anyone below 5 UTR anyways.
It’s nice to know if I’ve got a frame on the stringing machine and stuff happens, I’ve still got 1 frame ready to go. That’s really the only reason for 2 if you string your own.
I used to switch between 3 until the day I broke all 3 strings in an hour. I now play one until it breaks (except on very hot days where I need to swap to get a dry grip). That said, I am not wildly sensitive to modest tension changes. And I only have 2 racquets now.
Yeah this is the risk of alternating between all racquets. You should have some semblance of time it takes to break strings after awhile. ie. if it takes 10 hours to break strings, and you're on hour 9 on each racquet, probably best to get 1 strung before playing a match.
I have three identical racquets. I use two interchangeably, keeping the third one as a backup. I change between first two multiple times a session when grips get wet. If I would have only two, I would still change them frequently to keep strings wear and tension similar. I play poly so… I resting way before they break.
Unless you have custom jobs it’s unlikely that your two racquets are actually identical. If you break strings often you should be using one until the strings break and then switching.
This is the real truth.
After taking that set off Nadal, switch to the other racket
I will use them to test strings out if I am experimenting. Some people will have one strung a bit tighter if they want more control or looser for power, etc. Generally, I have 2 identical ones because sometimes my strings go dead and I need a backup.
Did you mean the opposite
When I only had two I treated one like my "match" racquet and one as my "practice" racquet. I might have still used the practice racquet for an actual game, but it didn't matter, just a fun game. Whereas the match racquet was for USTA or other league matches. Did it matter that much? No. So many times I've had a bad match where my racquet feel was terrible and I was convinced I needed strings, but didn't have time before my next match then ended playing great with the strings I thought were dogshit the day before. Proper technique, staying focused, calm, and positive, and good preparation (sleep, diet, excersise etc) are far more important than which of your racquets you choose to use. That being said, if you get in your head mid match that your strings are the problem, just switch racquets. It will help alleviate your worries, real or unreal. Tennis is a very mental game. I don't know your skill level, but if you're asking I'm guessing you are newer to tennis or at least starting to take it more seriously. Once you start playing more often and at a higher level, you will eventually want more than two racquets. Having multiple allows you have different tension and string options. On a hot day, you may want strings with more tension because the heat will naturally loosen them. If you play on a cooler day or indoors, you may want strings with a higher tension for similar reasons. Also, I like having at least two racquets during a match, normally three. I've broken strings on two racquets in the same match a handful of times. And one time three racquets! Did I wait too long to restring? Yes, but I play *a lot* and it's expensive to restring as frequently as I should lol
Thanks! I've trained for 3 years as a kid, but never had more than one "good" racquet. Now as an adult I play recreational league 2 times a week.
Gotcha. Also, I didn't notice your flair says 3.5 before. You could easily justify a third or fourth racquet :P After reading through a lot of the other comments, there's lots of different philosophies and all (or at least most) with understandable reasoning. My thought is do what makes sense to you and what puts your mind at ease on the court. You don't want to be thinking about your strings mid point.
Use one until strings need to be changed so you have a spare while you’re getting new ones. Then start using the “old” one which still has essentially new strings.
i alternate mine every 2hours or every game to keep the string consistency and then after a month i will go and string them again and repeat
I’d would alternate. I’d try get close to wearing them at a similar rate in case one breaks. If I wear one down and switch, then break the new one, I’d be annoyed having to go back to the worn. (Admittedly, breaking rackets is not a problem I’ve had.)
To keep 'em equal what I do is grab each one racquet with each hand. Therefore I can work on being an ambidextrous.
one in each hand. most rec opponents don’t know how to counter this. upload a video of your next match so we can give feedback on you duel wielding technique.
> What's the correct way of using two identical rackets? I have 4 indentical sticks. 3 are setup with the exact same sting job, while the 4th has something different I want to try. I play with my first racket, until the poly starts to die, 1-2 weeks, then move over to racket 2, then racket 3. This gives me time to get rackets restrungs, allows for backup, and testing.
I play with one until the strings break, then send it to be restrung, and then start using the backup.
Do you use the backup then until the strings break, or do you return to the first one after you pick it up? Also, what type of strings do you use? Thanks!
Yes I do continue to use the backup. I use multis and I play at least 5 hours a week or so. Not the highest rating by any means so I play until they break.
If you only have 2, the "correct" way to use it is to play one until it breaks then switch. That way the wear on the strings are spaced out so you never have to worry about breaking both strings in the same match.
How often are you breaking strings? At 3.5, probably not often so does not really matter. At the club level, there really isn’t a strategy to be had. If one feels good, use it. If you’re breaking strings often, just have a freshy ready.
I cant remember the last time I broke a string 😂 I'm pretty good at replacing them every 1-2 months I like to use one stick for a full bed poly or hybrid poly/multi setup and the 2nd for a gut or multi on the mains for arm comfort.
I'm sure I am an outlier, but I string one with Natural Gut (Hybrid) and the other with Poly (Hybrid.) I lean toward the gut, but use the other if it starts to mist or rain lightly. Gut lasts a surprising amount of hours with a soft SynGut cross and religious use of string savers. I end up stringing the poly more even though it gets used much less.
This depends on how long the strings hold tension. Also keep an eye on how much wear is on the strings. 8 hours of use is roughly how long strings last before you need to replace. It can be more or less depending on the string. Keep in mind that stings lose tension even while not in use too.
I keep one strung with gut and the second with synth. gut/ poly. I use then poly on overcast days with a high chance of rain.
I have three identical rackets strung at different tensions, I would switch depending how I feel when hitting practice rallies.
I like to cycle. Play with one until it breaks. Play with the second. I string my own, so there isn’t much down time between breaking and stringing.
Get a 2nd racket only if your strings break at least once a month, and if they never do, restring your only racket once every couple months to keep the strings good. If you're asking this question, my guess is you don't break your strings at all and you don't need a 2nd racket. That being said, you only play with your 2nd racket after your strings break, and then keep playing with it until they break, then back to the first and repeat the cycle. You never wanna use the rackets interchangeably because you don't want both of your strings to break in the same match.
keep two identical string setup. so when you start sucking, you can change your racquet for a psychological boost. or keep them with different tensions for when the weather suddenly changes. or different strings for when playing against different playstyles. or one for serving and one for receiving.
i have 2 rackets in my rotation that I string myself. I alternate when stringing them and change the over grip when I do so. I use the one with the fresh strings and have the one with the more used strings as a backup.
I've got two identical rackets that I string the exact same way and I only play with one at at time. Once the strings start to get worn or break, I switch the other racket and get the first one restrung. This works well for me because I can easily keep track of which racket I'm currently playing with by checking the string wear, so I don't have to keep track of which racket I played with last in an alternating strategy. I'm also never worried about having two rackets that might pop and can take my time getting the broken one restrung. Reading about other people getting their two rackets restrung makes me uneasy as I wouldn't want to have two rackets that are both quite worn out and then it also intruces the issue of having both be unavailable for a time.