Meet Mark Lawrence, the Stringer Behind Badminton’s Top Stars

When badminton fans watch a major final, their attention naturally goes to the players, their powerful smashes, clever net shots and dramatic rallies. Behind those performances, however, is an entire support system that rarely receives the same spotlight. Among the most important members of that team are professional racquet stringers, whose work can influence how a player feels and performs with every shot.

One of the most experienced names in that world is Mark Lawrence, a veteran badminton stringer who has spent decades working with elite players and international tournaments. From Olympic Games and World Championships to the All England, Lawrence has built a reputation for understanding the highly individual requirements of professional players.

His career began in 1994, when Yonex invited him to join its stringing team at the All England after he had been stringing racquets for world No. 1 Morten Frost. What started as an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of professional stringing became a career lasting more than three decades.

Today, Lawrence is a supervisor with the Yonex International Stringing Team and is known for working behind the scenes at some of badminton’s biggest events.

From a Local Stringing Shop to the World Stage

Lawrence’s journey is unusual because professional tournament stringing was not always the highly organised operation that fans see today.

When he entered the profession in the 1990s, racquet stringing at tournaments was often treated as something that happened on the sidelines. Stringers did not necessarily have large dedicated workspaces or teams handling hundreds of racquets.

Lawrence has recalled that he even spent part of his early career stringing racquets on the arena floor while matches were taking place. Over time, however, tournament organisers and equipment companies began to recognise how important the service had become. Dedicated stringing areas eventually became a standard feature at major badminton championships.

That evolution mirrors the growing professionalism of badminton itself. As players became more specialised and equipment technology developed, small differences in racquet setup became increasingly important.

A professional player’s racquet is not simply taken out of a bag and used. Players often have precise preferences regarding string type, tension, grip, balance and feel. The stringer must reproduce those preferences consistently, sometimes across several racquets during a single tournament.

Why Stringing Matters So Much in Badminton

For a casual player, the difference between two string tensions may not seem particularly significant. At the highest level, however, those differences can affect the way a racquet responds during a rally.

String tension refers to how tightly the strings are installed in the racquet. Higher tension generally creates a firmer string bed and can provide a sharper, more controlled response. Lower tension can create a larger sweet spot and allow the shuttle to remain on the strings slightly longer.

Lawrence has explained that average professional tensions have increased considerably during his career. When he started, tensions around 28 or 29 pounds were common among top players. Today, tensions above 30 pounds are much more normal at the elite level.

But there is no universal setting that works for every player.

That is where a stringer’s expertise becomes important. The correct setup depends on the player’s technique, physical strength, playing style and personal preference. A singles player who relies heavily on control may want something different from an aggressive doubles specialist looking for explosive response.

Lakshya Sen and the Demands of a Modern Professional

Among the more recent players Lawrence has discussed is Indian star Lakshya Sen.

According to Lawrence, Sen can require frequent restringing, particularly when he is playing well and progressing deep into tournaments. His coach has sometimes brought several racquets to the stringing station after matches, making Sen one of Lawrence’s particularly demanding customers.

This highlights an important part of professional badminton that spectators rarely notice.

Players do not necessarily use just one racquet throughout a tournament. A string can break during an intense rally, or a player may simply want a freshly strung racquet to maintain the exact feel they prefer. In long tournaments, multiple racquets may therefore need to be prepared and maintained.

For a stringer, consistency becomes critical. If a player requests a specific tension and setup, the job is not merely to restring the racquet but to reproduce the same playing characteristics as accurately as possible.

A Career Filled With Badminton Legends

Lawrence’s experience has taken him into the racquet rooms of some of badminton’s greatest names.

His professional history includes working around players such as Lin Dan, Taufik Hidayat and Lee Chong Wei, among many other international stars. His own professional profile also records work at four Olympic Games, two Commonwealth Games, nine World Championships and 25 All England Championships.

His connection with Lin Dan provides one of the more memorable examples of how personal a professional player’s equipment can become.

Lawrence has recalled that the Chinese legend had a distinctive grip setup, with part of the handle strapped and another section left wooden. Such details may appear minor to a spectator, but they demonstrate how equipment can become closely connected to a player’s habits and muscle memory.

At the highest level, players spend years developing their technique. Changing the feel of a racquet unexpectedly can therefore be uncomfortable, which is why experienced stringers become trusted members of a player’s wider support team.

One of the Highest Tensions Lawrence Has Ever Seen

The range of preferences among professionals can be surprisingly wide.

Lawrence has revealed that one of the highest tensions he has ever strung belonged to Japanese player Kenichi Tago, whose racquet was strung above 34 pounds. At the other end of the scale, he has worked with Akane Yamaguchi at around 25 pounds.

Those figures demonstrate that there is no single definition of the “perfect” racquet.

Yamaguchi’s lower tension, for example, can provide a larger sweet spot and a little more dwell time, which suits the characteristics of her game. A player looking for maximum precision and a very firm string bed may prefer considerably higher tension.

What affects a professional player’s string setup?

• Playing style: Attacking and defensive players can have different equipment needs.
• String tension: Higher tension can emphasise control, while lower tension can provide a more forgiving response.
• String type: Different strings offer different combinations of durability, feel, repulsion and control.
• Personal preference: Ultimately, elite players often have highly specific requirements developed through years of experience.

These factors mean that stringing is far more technical than simply replacing broken strings.

The Pressure of a Major Tournament

Working at an international tournament can also be physically and mentally demanding.

A major championship may have hundreds of players arriving with different equipment requirements. During the early rounds, the workload can become particularly intense because a large number of competitors are still in the tournament.

Lawrence has described the Delhi World Championships as an example. During the first two days, his team handled close to 500 stringing jobs. Once the tournament moved deeper into the competition and fewer players remained, the workload naturally became more manageable.

The scale of the operation shows why major tournaments now require dedicated stringing teams.

Yonex says its global stringing network includes more than 1,500 professional stringers who work to meet individual player requirements.

At major events, the stringing station effectively becomes a small workshop operating alongside the competition.

More Than Just a Service Provider

One reason experienced stringers are valued by professional players is that they become familiar with individual preferences.

A player may arrive at a tournament with several racquets and expect each one to feel almost identical. The stringer needs to know the player’s specifications and repeat them accurately.

There is also an element of communication involved. Players may explain that a racquet feels too hard, too soft or different from the previous one. The stringer then has to understand what that feedback means technically.

This is where years of experience can make a significant difference. A machine can measure tension, but understanding a player’s feedback requires human judgement and practical knowledge.

How Tournament Stringing Has Changed

Lawrence’s career provides a useful picture of how professional badminton equipment support has developed.

In the past, stringing could take place in improvised spaces. Today, major tournaments generally have dedicated, well-lit stringing areas with multiple staff members and professional equipment.

The change has also been driven by the increasing speed and physical demands of modern badminton. Players hit harder, rallies can be extremely fast and equipment is pushed to demanding limits.

That makes reliable racquet preparation increasingly important.

Lawrence has also continued to share his knowledge beyond tournament work. His professional business offers stringing advice and courses, while his work with the Yonex Stringing Team has taken him around the world for workshops and seminars.

The Unsung Work Behind Every Match

Perhaps the most interesting part of Lawrence’s story is that his work is almost invisible when it is done correctly.

Fans see the result of a perfectly prepared racquet without thinking about who prepared it. A player walks onto court, picks up the racquet and focuses entirely on the opponent.

That is exactly how it should be.

A professional stringer’s success is often measured by consistency rather than recognition. If a player can trust that every racquet will feel the way it is supposed to, the stringer has done the job properly.

For Lawrence, that trust has been built over decades.

His work has connected him with generations of badminton stars, from legends of the past to leading players of the modern era. His career also demonstrates how many specialists contribute to elite sport without appearing on television.

Mark Lawrence’s Career at a Glance

Category	Details
Professional stringing career	Began in 1994
Major tournament role	Yonex International Stringing Team supervisor
Olympic Games	Worked at 4 Olympics
World Championships	Worked at 9 editions
All England	Worked at 25 editions
Major players associated with his work	Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei, Taufik Hidayat, Lakshya Sen and others
Training and education	Conducts stringing workshops and courses

The numbers are impressive, but they only tell part of the story. The real measure of Lawrence’s career is the trust placed in him by players who operate at the highest level of badminton.

Conclusion

Mark Lawrence’s story is a reminder that elite badminton is about much more than what happens between the lines of the court.

While players receive the trophies, headlines and applause, professionals such as Lawrence work quietly behind the scenes to ensure their equipment is ready for the next rally. His three-decade career has taken him from a local stringing operation to some of the biggest badminton arenas in the world.

From working with legends such as Lin Dan, Lee Chong Wei and Taufik Hidayat to helping contemporary stars such as Lakshya Sen, Lawrence has witnessed the evolution of professional badminton from a unique position.

His career also shows just how personalised modern racquet sports have become. String tension, string choice, grip and feel can all form part of a player’s carefully developed routine.

The next time a badminton player walks onto court with a racquet in hand, the focus will understandably remain on the athlete. But somewhere behind that performance is a skilled support team—and Mark Lawrence is one of the experienced specialists who has spent decades making sure the equipment is ready when the spotlight comes on.

FAQs

Who is Mark Lawrence?

Mark Lawrence is a veteran professional badminton racquet stringer and supervisor with the Yonex International Stringing Team. He began his professional tournament stringing career in 1994.

Which famous badminton players has Mark Lawrence worked with?

Lawrence has worked around numerous elite players, including Lin Dan, Taufik Hidayat, Lee Chong Wei and Lakshya Sen. His work has covered multiple generations of international badminton stars.

Why is racquet stringing important for professional badminton players?

String tension and string type can influence a racquet’s feel, control, power and sweet spot. Elite players often have highly specific requirements, making accurate and consistent stringing an important part of tournament preparation.

What is the highest string tension Mark Lawrence has mentioned?

Lawrence has said that Kenichi Tago’s racquet was among the highest he had ever strung, at more than 34 pounds.

How many years has Mark Lawrence been involved in professional stringing?

Lawrence began stringing professionally for major tournaments in 1994. His experience therefore spans more than three decades. His current professional profile describes him as having 35 years of racquet-stringing experience.