Tennis strings fall into four main categories: Natural Gut, Polyester, Multifilament, Synthetic Gut. You can also have them strung as hybrids to suit your playing style.
NATURAL GUT
Made from cow intestines. They choose cattle that graze high up in the mountains as their diet can accidentally contain hard to process stones and debris, adding to the strength of the end product.
– Feel and Power: Known for unmatched comfort and ball contact time, resulting in exceptional power and feel.
– Tension Maintenance: Maintains tension due to the natural stretch of the intestine.
– Arm-Friendly: Excellent shock absorption reduces vibration to prevent injuries.
– Durability in Hybrid: While less durable than polyester alone, it can last longer in terms of playability and/or performance when properly maintained.
– Durability can be lacking if hitting heavy off centre hits before the string has “bedded in”
– Dislikes being used in wet conditions as the protective layer can only keep the water out for so long.
– If treated well, can last months (I had a whole summer of coaching and playing out of a set once).
POLYESTER
– Primarily made from a stiff, durable synthetic polymer, typically designed as a single solid filament (monofilament). Can also be made from a co-polymer like Babolat RPM Blast.
– Spin Generation: The stiffness and low-friction allow increase string movement. This allows the main string to slide out of position and then quickly “snap back” to its original position, creating more RPM on the ball.
– Control: Due to low elasticity (stiffness), they offer superior ball control for players with fast swing speeds, preventing the ball from sailing long.
– Durability: Extremely resistant to breaking, making them popular with heavy hitters.
– Shaped Varieties: Available in shapes like hexagons or squares to further enhance “bite” on the ball.
– Can be hard on the body; shock and/or vibration can be passed up the arm.
– Some manufactures recommend theirs to be strung a certain % lower than your usual tension due to their strings stiffness (Luxilon, Hyper G etc)
– Off centre hits (around the frame) can cause strings to snap due to the less stretch they have.
– I use Luxilon Alu Power. I enjoy the characteristics of this string. However my tension is at 32lbs (14.5kg) as this reduces the stress of the stiffer polyester on my wrist. Not many players enjoy such a low tension though.
MULTIFILAMENT
– Made of multiple strands of filaments
– Arm Comfort: Due to their construction they are excellent at absorbing more shock. This makes them an excellent choice for injury prevention.
– Power: They can provide good, easy power, making them great for a multitude of different players.
– Feel: They are often described as having a soft, lively, or “crisp” feel.
– Tension Maintenance: Generally, they hold their tension better than polyester strings although they can fluff up with use.
– Durability can be good or bad depending on your unique style of play. Can last a week can last years.
– A more durable and cost effective version of natural gut (just not as good feel / playability)
SYNTHETIC GUT
– Primarily nylon, featuring a solid center core with one or more outer wraps/coils for increased durability and, in some cases, added stiffness.
– Price: Very cost effective string
– Comfort: Good, soft feel that is arm-friendly (not as good as natural gut or multifilament)
– Performance: Good all-around base string for power, control, and tension maintenance.
– Best For: Beginners, recreational players, and those seeking a budget-friendly option.
– Limitations: Less durable than polyester strings, breaking faster for heavy hitters; does the base of what a string should do but doesn’t excel in any particular category.
– I would use these in a hybrid: Usually recommend as a cross string with a stiffer polyester in the mains. For matches I used to use Luxilon Alu Power (mains) with a Prince synthetic gut (cross) 51lbs (23kg).
HYBRIDS
– Hybrids combine different types of strings. These offer to balance out the pros and cons of having just once string.
– Usually a tougher polyester is used on the main string (as this is the string that does the majority of moving during hitting).
– Usually a softer or more feel string is used on the crosses. This is to help reduce the negatives of the polyester whilst also gaining the positives of the second string.
– Some brands do have pre-paired strings for this; Head IntelliTour being one of these.
– As above, I mainly used Luxilon Alu Power with a Prince Synthetic Gut as a cross
– I played a whole summer, coaching and playing (mens premier doubles – no singles) with only one set of Champions Choice (Luxilon Alu Power with Natural Gut crosses).
– Federer would play with Natural Gut in the main and Luxilon in the crosses as he preferred that feel. Although he did not have to worry about the stringing cost/durability!
jwstringing.co.uk 