Can you use tennis string for squash?

This short post explains why using tennis strings on a Squash Racket is not a great idea, and which tennis string to use if you absolutely have to.

If you are considering using tennis strings for your squash racket, don’t.

Tennis strings are too hard for squash

The most common type of tennis strings are made of polyester, commonly known as poly strings. Unlike squash strings, these are hard and built to be used at high tensions of 50-60 pounds.

Squash rackets on the other hand are usually strung in the 20-30 lbs range, and therefore use a softer and stretchier string.

No power

Because monofilament poly strings are so stiff and stretch only when pulled with extreme force, they will deliver almost no power into your shot since the squash ball and racket are lighter than a tennis racket and ball. Recall the trampoline effect from this article.

If you land on a hard trampoline, instead of bouncing up you will just go splat. The same thing happens with a squash ball on a bed of hard poly strings.

This annoying buzzing sound

Poly strings vibrate for a long time on tennis rackets and make this buzzing sound. Some players cannot tolerate it any more and end up using a dampener or shock absorber to reduce the string vibration and quieten the racket.

When a squash racket is strung with a hard poly tennis string, the buzz is insanely loud!

Compared to the relatively pleasant PUNG sound of a tennis racket striking a ball, a squash racket strung with a tennis string goes SHHEEEEEEEEENNNNNNNNNNN!!!!! like an angry cat flying through a window.

SHEEEENNNNNN!!! SHHEEEENNNNN!!!!!! This sound will drive you crazy.

Tennis strings can break your squash racket

When hard poly tennis string, even natural gut, is used on a light squash graphite frame, the hardness and vibrations of the hard string will cause small cracks and fractures near the eyelets/grommets. These cracks will eventually cause your frame to collapse under the pressure of the string.

An experienced stringer would also advise against using tennis guts on a squash racket because they will damage your racket.

Which tennis strings to use on a squash racket

If you still want to use tennis string because its all you got, make sure the tennis string is soft. The softest type of tennis strings are multifilament, so use multis. Note that almost all squash strings are also multifilament.

Although squash strings are multifilament, the construction of a multifilament tennis string may make them harder than a squash string. Feel them both before using and see if they are of similar softness.

If the tennis string is slightly harder, string a few pounds lower than your usual tension to maintain power.

17 gauge string is usually used for squash while tennis guts usually 16 gauge. While there is nothing wrong with using 16g string for squash, its preferable to use a 17g string for that familiar performance.

Don’t use tennis string on a squash racket

Try to not use tennis strings for your squash racket. If you have to, use multi filament strings. If you have already put hard poly monofilament strings on your squash racket, cut them, or cut them. Watch a squash racket being strung with a squash string.

Learn more about squash and tennis strings with our posts below: