I thought I would share some information on tennis racket stringing. First of all, I have no personal interest and do not get any discounts for promoting their business. I just wanted other players to have this information since many people I talked to pay for stringing $20-25 sometimes without having top quality service.

I have been using this service for the last three years mostly for two reasons: it costs only $15 including string or $10 with your own string and it is the most reliable and consistent service I ever used. Gordie and Cathy Lehman are both members of US Stringing Association and they get officially certified every year. Since they use electronic stringing machine the tension consistency is guaranteed. They usually can do stringing right away or maybe overnight. Their address is 6115 Dodsworth drive, Raleigh, 27612, email lehman4@mindspring.com, phone 919-510-6698. There is one more thing. They are always willing to work with you to find a best solution to your stringing problems and they are fun to talk to.

Sergei Krasnyanski

I second Sergei's recommendation. They are very knowledgeable, which is great for those that are looking for the right selection of string and tension to help out their tennis game. They are also very close to Optimist Park and are available in the evenings for racquet drop off. I dropped mine off 7 o'clock at night and it was ready first thing the next morning. It is also less expensive then where I was stringing previously.

Ha I saw something about stringing and was planning on stepping in with the Gordie and Cathy recommendation...but then saw that was the reason for the thread :) I've been using them for a number of years, and a majority of the people I play with use them too. Very nice people, and they go a *great* job. I've strayed once or twice on random occasions and regretted it every time.

Do they also do grips?

Do they also do grips?

Thanks for all of the nice complements.

I did want everyone to know that YES we do sell grips, overgrips, dampers, and obviously strings.

Gordie and Cathy Lehman
High Strung

what is stringing? Boy do I sound like a dummy.

Hi Cindy, no you don't sound like a dummy :-) When I first attended my inaugural tennis event some 5 years ago, I came with my old racquet my mother gave me when I was a kid, and some used balls that were lying around. 5 years later, I'm stringing my racquet 2-3 times a year, and whenever I play at an event, it's always with a new can of balls.

Stringing is when you have the strings in your tennis racquet taken out and replaced with new string. There is some great information here on why and when you string: http://www.livestrong...

But generally, you should restring your racquet the number of times in a year as you play on average each week. So if you play twice a week, you should have your racquet restrung twice a year. Strings lose their tension and become brittle over time. For me I can feel pain in my elbow and wrist when I know it's time to change strings. Tennis should feel painless, and your racquet should play somewhat consistently.

You can get your racquet restrung at normally any sports place that sells racquets like Dicks, Golfsmith, Stringers, Gordie and Cathy Lehman, etc. But in the meantime, the next time you're on the courts, ask one of the advanced players or the organizer to take a look at your racquet. They may be able to provide even more tips to help you get the most of your game.

Good luck!