Behind the scenes at the world’s most prestigious tennis tournaments, a team of people work quickly to keep the equipment in good condition.
The stringers have always worked around the clock to ensure the rackets are strung to the perfect tension.
For Shane Mikic, stringing a racquet is second nature.
“It’s about having really good technique and doing the same thing, racquet after racquet,”
he said.
“Stringing a racket is just muscle memory.”
Shane Mikic continues for tournaments including the US Open. (Provided: Shane Mikic)
Originally from Townsville, North Queensland, Mr Mikic has been a member of the Wilson stringing team and has been stringing rackets for three decades, achieving his first Grand Slam in 2010.
Since then, he has traveled the world stringing players like Rafael Nadal and Venus Williams, and handles racquets at major events such as the US Open, Roland Garros and the Laver Cup.
For professional players, having a strung tennis racket is essential to their performance on the court.
Teams of stringers work on rackets at tournaments such as the Australian Open. (Supplied: Tennis Australia)
Mr. Mikic said some tennis players preferred lower tension in their strings, while others wanted a firmer string bed.
“In tennis, if the strings don’t go, forget it. The ball doesn’t go in the court”,
» said Mr. Mikic.
“Players must have exactly the string and stiffness with which they are accustomed to playing.”
Shortage of spars
Tennis Australia said 7,797 rackets were strung at the 2025 Australian Open, with the highest number on a single day being 616.
In 2025, the Australian Open also broke attendance records, attracting 116,528 people in its opening week, compared to 89,894 people in 2024.
According to Tennis Australia, more than 7,000 rackets are strung at the Australian Open. (Supplied: Tennis Australia)
Lyndon Krause, racquet sports equipment manager, said that while tournaments were thriving, there was an aging population of tennis stringers and the industry was grappling with a shortage.
He said Tennis Australia currently had around 50 players on its roster who met tournament requirements.
“We have more tournaments than ever before,” he said.
“I would say the average age of a stringer is around 50 and up.
“The need for spars is beyond anything else.”
Tennis Australia will relaunch a program dedicated to training stringers and accessing the tournament scene next year.
“The learning curve is very steep, which is why we are looking for people who are passionate about the sport of tennis,” Dr. Krause said.
“Totally”
Mr Mikic said elite-level matches were fast-paced, high-stress environments for teams strung together.
“Teams that are roped at a tournament are going all out,” he said.
“You might start the day with maybe 15 racquets in your box that need to be strung by 11 a.m., and then during that time you’ll have players coming in at the last minute.”
Shane Mikic said roping at tournaments was a very stressful environment. (Provided: Shane Mikic)
He said being a good stringer relies on technical knowledge.
“It’s a question of player preference, but also the type of ball they hit,” he said.
“In general, players who hit with a lot of topspin can get away with a looser string pattern.
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“Players who hit very flat,” says someone like Bernard Tomic, “usually have to tighten the string a little tighter to get the control they need.”
Dr Krause said Tennis Australia was trying to challenge traditional stringing room environments in a bid to increase the number of stringers.
“Players are expected to start an hour before the game and finish an hour after the game,” he said.
“Previously, ropers were used to working 20-hour days.“
He said Tennis Australia was working to redefine those stereotypes, including stringing stringers to a team-based model and shared machines.
“We are now thinking about how to increase the efficiency of the room, provide more opportunities and leverage the existing talent we currently have,” he said.
The 2026 Australian Open begins in Melbourne on January 12.
