Ladies who string their own racquets

[Nuke]

Do they exist?

I get the feeling that stringing racquets is sort of like changing the oil in your car. Most people take it to someone else, but a few guys get the satisfaction of doing it themselves. And it's a very rare female who opens the hood and gets her hands greasy. Guys just like to tinker with gadgets more than the ladies, I guess.

OK, so prove me wrong. Any lady stringers in here?

 

[Valjean]

Aren't there lady tennis players, lady pros too; why wouldn't there be lady stringers, then? Oh, why don't you just start the lady stringers' club. There's one in here for every persuasion, you know?

 

[YULitle]

I know of a few lady stringers. I worked with a lady MRT for a while in ATL, and there is a lady MRT who posts on G-S-S named Lindsay.

 

[Nuke]

Oh, why don't you just start the lady stringers' club.

Because there would probably be no members. I don't recall any ladies on these boards self-identifying as a stringer. Just curious.

 

[jazar]

ladies could be really good stringers cos they have thinner fingers so it should be easier for them weaving

 

[flash9]

Female Tennis Stringers

My wife and I have a home based stringing business. She does about 70% of the racquets and I do the other 30%. I do have a full time job, where she is a full time mother. So, for both of us the tennis stringing is a secondary job that we both enjoy. She at one time had a money making hobby of weaving baskets for an art gallery, and she is making much better money weaving tennis racquets then weaving baskets.

She has no time for forums, so you will not find her posting anytime soon. :-|

 

[wally]

When my wife was in college (more years ago than I better state) she strung racquets for her father's tennis buisiness to make extra money.

She said she never really had nice finger nails until she graduated from college and was no longer stringing.

 

[Nuke]

OK, we have a few "I know a lady stringer" answers, but no TT members step up to say, "I am woman, watch me string!"

Maybe stringing is a geeky activity, and posting in forums is a geeky activity, so a woman who strings and posts is such a super-geeky combination that no woman would admit to it.

 

[YULitle]

OK, we have a few "I know a lady stringer" answers, but no TT members step up to say, "I am woman, watch me string!"

Maybe stringing is a geeky activity, and posting in forums is a geeky activity, so a woman who strings and posts is such a super-geeky combination that no woman would admit to it.

The poster Lindsay, is a girl and posts on G-S-S...

 

[Topaz]

OK, we have a few "I know a lady stringer" answers, but no TT members step up to say, "I am woman, watch me string!"

Maybe stringing is a geeky activity, and posting in forums is a geeky activity, so a woman who strings and posts is such a super-geeky combination that no woman would admit to it.

Well, how about you buy me a stringer, teach me to string...and then I will happily post in all of my super-geek glory!

Honestly, I would love to know how to string. Maybe someday.

 

[Nuke]

Honestly, I would love to know how to string. Maybe someday.

Then why don't you buy a cheap dropweight and get started? Fear of learning a new gadget? Why "maybe someday" instead of now. Plenty of women play tennis, but hardly any of them think of stringing their own. I don't get it.

 

[Topaz]

Then why don't you buy a cheap dropweight and get started? Fear of learning a new gadget? Why "maybe someday" instead of now. Plenty of women play tennis, but hardly any of them think of stringing their own. I don't get it.

Uhhh, cheap to you isn't necessarily cheap to me. Don't make this into some kind of gender issue. I can string a violin, a guitar, and make my own clarinet reeds...I have no fear of gadgets. And, what with the full time job and the time I spend on tennis, 'someday' is just going to have to be good enough for you right now.

 

[Nuke]

Don't make this into some kind of gender issue.

Um, that's the whole point of this thread, actually: there's a gender gap with racquet stringing.

 

[Topaz]

Um, that's the whole point of this thread, actually: there's a gender gap with racquet stringing.

You're not getting it. The reason I do not string has nothing to do with the fact that I am a woman.

Given the overall gender bias on this board, are you really surprised no female stringers have come forward? And, even though several posters have said they know, work with, or are *married* to female stringers...you're still beating this drum.

 

[origmarm]

All my racquets are strung by a woman, very good stringer, best I've found in London anyway. I believe she strings at Wimbledon each year and has done for the past 10-15yrs.

A more interesting question to me would be how many female players self string if that makes sense. I've met quite a few female pro shop stringers but have never met a female player that strings their own racquets.

Perhaps this is due to not breaking so many strings? My stringer tells me that 90% of her customers are men. Perhaps at the lower levels (3.5 and below) the women just break less string which makes it less economically viable to string for yourself?...

 

[Nuke]

No need to get hot, Topaz. It's just a friendly discussion, I hope.

So you say it's nothing to do with gender or aversion to gadgets, and imply that one reason is the cost ("cheap to you isn't necessarily cheap to me). I don't quite get that as an argument. I got into stringing because it saves money. But maybe you only change strings a few times a year so your payback on a low-end drop-weight will take longer. So what else is there? "...what with the full time job" -- I think we're all there except for the juniors. "and the time I spend on tennis" -- yeah, tell me about it. I guess your answers just look like the same answers most guys who don't string would say.

Despite the few replies of "I know a gal that strings," it just seems odd that we have so many stringers here and none (as far as I can tell) are ladies. This is not some sort of value judgement to get defensive over, just an observation for which I'm seeking an explanation. But it's no biggie, just idle chatter. I could also ask why women don't change their car's oil, but that would be for a different forum.

 

[Nuke]

Perhaps at the lower levels (3.5 and below) the women just break less string which makes it less economically viable to string for yourself?...

That's probably as good a reason as any. I also think women can be less fussy about equipment, so less likely to cut strings out to try something different.

 

[origmarm]

That's probably as good a reason as any. I also think women can be less fussy about equipment, so less likely to cut strings out to try something different.

Yeah I would agree with this actually, I've never met a woman "gearhead" as such.

 

[SW Stringer]

You're not getting it. The reason I do not string has nothing to do with the fact that I am a woman.

Given the overall gender bias on this board, are you really surprised no female stringers have come forward? And, even though several posters have said they know, work with, or are *married* to female stringers...you're still beating this drum.

" . . . Given the overall gender bias on this board, are you really surprised no female stringers have come forward? . . . "

Given the average age of a poster on this forum is 13 1/2 years, are you really surprised at their behaviour? Put a bunch of teeny boppers on a forum with no adult supervision and that's what you get: "Lord of the Flies" behaviour - dog eat dog, no respect for each other let alone someone of the fair sex. If only their mamma's knew what they were doing!! They don't know any better, don't have any manners, and won't have any for another 25 years. Sorry state of affairs.

 

[ClubHoUno]

All my racquets are strung by a woman, very good stringer, best I've found in London anyway. I believe she strings at Wimbledon each year and has done for the past 10-15yrs.

A more interesting question to me would be how many female players self string if that makes sense. I've met quite a few female pro shop stringers but have never met a female player that strings their own racquets.

Perhaps this is due to not breaking so many strings? My stringer tells me that 90% of her customers are men. Perhaps at the lower levels (3.5 and below) the women just break less string which makes it less economically viable to string for yourself?...

But unless they play with natural gut (and even gut goes dead after a while) , the strings will still go completely dead
after some time and they need to cut them out and restring them, female or male player :twisted:

Fact is, that stringing is a nerdy geeky thing, and very few female tennis players mess with these things. It's a funny world - because they will mess with every little detail if it has to do with fashion.........

 

[Richard Parnell]

The only lady stringer at wimbledon is Josie De Groot and She is Dutch. Jay Schweid had a lady lady stringer in his team for quite a few years.
All the best,
Richard

 

[IceNineTX]

Do they exist?

I get the feeling that stringing racquets is sort of like changing the oil in your car. Most people take it to someone else, but a few guys get the satisfaction of doing it themselves. And it's a very rare female who opens the hood and gets her hands greasy. Guys just like to tinker with gadgets more than the ladies, I guess.

OK, so prove me wrong. Any lady stringers in here?

**************, the largest tennis store in Houston, has a female stringer. The other 4 I have seen are men, but she was there working away with the rest of them.

 

[flash9]

**************, the largest tennis store in Houston, has a female stringer. The other 4 I have seen are men, but she was there working away with the rest of them.

I am 95% sure you are talking about Lindsay - She is now in Rochester, NY.

 

[IceNineTX]

I am 95% sure you are talking about Lindsay - She is now in Rochester, NY.

Not sure her name. If I recall, she was early 20s, fit, maybe sandy blonde hair. I saw here in ************** in January of this year. I hadn't seen her before or after, but I only go every few months since it's a 45 minute drive for me or longer.

 

[tarheels2323]

I know a couple summertime pro's that are women and string and I also had my racquets strung by a woman throughout high school.

 

[rasajadad]

At the club I used to belong to, the owner/head pro's wife did all the stringing.

Also, I taught my daughter (14 y.o. at the time) to string. She doesn't play, but likes to do "weaving" with me.

 

[LSStringing]

Lindsay just strung at the BMW $125,000 Challenger in Sunrise, Florida. She strung for Feliciano Lopez, Berdych, Korolev, Storace, etc. They got picks up at the website: sunrisetennis.com
This may be the first female to string in the US for such a major event. Especially if you know that she is under 25. Oh, by the way, she strung over 6000 rods in 2007 while at *************. Are there many guys out there that have strung over 6K in a year and string for the likes of Berdych?

 

[EasleyTennis]

Women belong in the kitchen, not stringing rackets imo.

 

[The_Question]

Women belong in the kitchen, not stringing rackets imo.

To all ladies, not all men thinks like that...

 

[Lindsay]

Wow, nice topic. I hope I'm not the only female that will add to the thread. I'm currently at the Sunrise BMW Challenger in Florida. This is such a lovely event!

I'm not quite sure why there aren't more female stringers around. Its a very detail-oriented profession, and I think females are very good with things like that. I think most stringers learn how to string because they were big string breakers themselves, and females just don't break as many strings as males for the most part. Not that I break/broke a particularly high amount ever in my life.

I hope to see more ladies comment on this topic. Lets go girls!

 

[Lindsay]

Not sure her name. If I recall, she was early 20s, fit, maybe sandy blonde hair. I saw here in ************** in January of this year. I hadn't seen her before or after, but I only go every few months since it's a 45 minute drive for me or longer.

I'm guessing you're talking about me, because no one else that works there fits that description, but it would have been January 2008.

 

[shell]

I string my own racquets, but I am the only female that I know that does. None of my female tennis playing counterparts even know about strings, barely know about options. they also don't break strings very much.

I bought a stringer because I do go through strings somewhat frequently, and because I like to try different options.

I must be a geek

 

[origmarm]

Wow, nice topic. I hope I'm not the only female that will add to the thread. I'm currently at the Sunrise BMW Challenger in Florida. This is such a lovely event!

I'm not quite sure why there aren't more female stringers around. Its a very detail-oriented profession, and I think females are very good with things like that. I think most stringers learn how to string because they were big string breakers themselves, and females just don't break as many strings as males for the most part. Not that I break/broke a particularly high amount ever in my life.

I hope to see more ladies comment on this topic. Lets go girls!

Lindsay quick question if you are in Rochester now. Do you string at Bruce Bell's shop by any chance? I think I saw a woman stringing there last time I was in last year but I can't remember for sure....

Cheers, Orig

 

[origmarm]

The only lady stringer at wimbledon is Josie De Groot and She is Dutch. Jay Schweid had a lady lady stringer in his team for quite a few years.
All the best,
Richard

hmmmm sounds like I've been mislead by my local girl in that case....don't like it when people make stuff like this up

 

[Bad Dog]

Wow, nice topic. I hope I'm not the only female that will add to the thread. I'm currently at the Sunrise BMW Challenger in Florida. This is such a lovely event!

I'm not quite sure why there aren't more female stringers around. Its a very detail-oriented profession, and I think females are very good with things like that. I think most stringers learn how to string because they were big string breakers themselves, and females just don't break as many strings as males for the most part. Not that I break/broke a particularly high amount ever in my life.

I often take my racquets to a top full-time female stringer in the Washington metropolitan area. She is extremely knowledgeable and professional – and commands two Babolat Star 5 machines all by herself.

 

[Rickson]

Not many out there. Why do the work when you can pay someone to do it for you?

 

[supitsnic]

I actually just tried stringing a racquet again after how many months. I don't really know how to string a racquet by hear,t but I'm willing to learn.

I'm actually thinking of buying my own stringing machine. That would be so convenient for me, because I could just string my stick whenever I want, and I would never have to pay or bother people to string it for me.

 

[The_Question]

Not many out there. Why do the work when you can pay someone to do it for you?

Yeah, the reason why many of us and some ladies are trying to avoid...

 

[Topaz]

I am a lady, and while I do not string my own racquets, one of my clinic-mates does string her own racquet.

 

[get it in]

Women belong in the kitchen, not stringing rackets imo.

To all ladies, not all men thinks like that...

I second that opinion. I'm a man and I'd rather be in the kitchen than stringing rackets. Although I wouldn't mind either one.

 

[eeytennis]

I am a girl and I string my own rackets plus a few more of people that I know. For years I let other people do it, but it's nice to be able to string on my own time and get the rackets strung when I want them to be strung. And when I string for other people, I earn a little extra cash, which is nice .

I know three other woman (one who is a junior player going off to college, and two who string for a business) who string rackets in the area, but I agree, overall, it's very uncommon.

I have no idea why men string more then women...it's really an enjoyable thing to do and like Lindsay said, it's a more detail-oriented type of work and women DO tend to be better at that overall.

 

[Topaz]

Oh, now that I think of it, I do know a female stringer in my area, too...she also does it for a business.

 

[eeytennis]

That's probably as good a reason as any. I also think women can be less fussy about equipment, so less likely to cut strings out to try something different.

I am going to disagree with you on that one...I don't think that it's because they are women that makes them less fussy about equipment, I think it all comes down to the level that they play at. A 3.0 man or woman is not likely to care what strings he or she uses whereas a nationally ranked player is likely to notice how different strings play. I have experimented with a number of string combos throughout the years.

 

[Lindsay]

Lindsay quick question if you are in Rochester now. Do you string at Bruce Bell's shop by any chance? I think I saw a woman stringing there last time I was in last year but I can't remember for sure....

Cheers, Orig

No, I do not string at Bells. There might be a female that strings there, she also works the desk. My company is beginning to travel a bit to tournaments to string, we've got 12 events so far in the year, from large junior events to collegiate events to challengers.

 

[kaztennis]

I haven't been on the TW message board for a while but it's nice to see Gordon, Richard P and Lindsay here on the forum as it's been a while since the G.S.S. symposium! Anyways, I think it would be nice to have more female stringers too! I haven't seen any at my local tennis shops...

Best,
Kaz

 

[drakulie]

Stringing a frame is completely at odds with a woman's character. Why would women, who **LOVE** to have any excuse to go out shopping, miss the opportunity to go to the local tennis shop??? This is why more women don't string. Also, they feel it's beneath them to do this type of labor.

But, at one of the local shops where I live the head stringer is a woman. BTW, she is horible, double pulls the mains, sometimes doesn't bother to change teh tension on the machine from frame to frame, uses a starting knot, and doesn't know how to tie knots. How she got this job is beyond me.

 

[eeytennis]

But, at one of the local shops where I live the head stringer is a woman. BTW, she is horible, double pulls the mains, sometimes doesn't bother to change teh tension on the machine from frame to frame, uses a starting knot, and doesn't know how to tie knots. How she got this job is beyond me.

Guys can do equally as bad string jobs...I got my racket strung at Saddlebrook once at 60 lbs and I only saw one person stringing there the whole time I was there and he was a guy. Anyway, the strings were like a trampoline...it was the worst stringing job ever.

 

[drakulie]

Guys can do equally as bad string jobs...I got my racket strung at Saddlebrook once at 60 lbs and I only saw one person stringing there the whole time I was there and he was a guy. Anyway, the strings were like a trampoline...it was the worst stringing job ever.

I agree men could do very bad jobs, but this lady is the "head stringer", and she sucks at stringing, so not sure why she would be in charge of that department.

 

[eeytennis]

I agree men could do very bad jobs, but this lady is the "head stringer", and she sucks at stringing, so not sure why she would be in charge of that department.

Lol, yeah, that is strange but in reality most people don't know a whole lot about stringing...I have been playing tennis for years but have only learned how to string a racket a few years ago. Before then, I wouldn't have known that double pulling on the mains is a BAD thing.

 

[kaztennis]

I think this is why you want to get your racquet strung by a certified stringer or someone with an equivalent skill. In the worst case, not only will you have a bad string job but it can damage the racquet! I don't want my 4 stripe Prince Graphite cracked by a stringer who doesn't know the basic of stringing. That's one of the reason I started stringing myself. I heard from my tennis buddies that some stores have kids stringing racquets in a basement and they pay them by the number of racquets they strung. Needless to say, these kids will do double pulls and do all kinds of things to string it really fast not paying attention to the quality/consistency of the string job.

Ok, I went off topic a bit but I think the lady stringers will be as good as a guy stringer without doubt. I can't think of any reason that they can't.