Strings of a tennis racquet are its soul. Strings are the part of the racquet which will make the actual impact with the ball and will determine how the player will feel about himself during the match. Just like every aspect of the sport, strings and the science of it has also evolved with time.
There are many types of strings available out there. And what a particular player chooses is entirely down to what they are after in a string. Some players want something durable, other wants more power, or some may want to reduce the impact on their arm.
We have already seen why should tennis players change their racquet string? Here we shall look at different types of strings that can be used and what are the advantages of choosing them.
Natural Gut Strings
Natural Gut Strings are made from animal intestine, mainly from beef. It retains the tension better than other materials in use. This allows the player to return with high energy without adding that stress to their arms and elbows.
The string snaps back quickly upon the impact and is considered to be the most playable string. The main drawbacks of this string are its costs, durability and lack of universal usage.
The fact that it is made from fibres that are extracted from animals, the cost of producing these make it difficult for most players to use this. It also gives much higher stress if the impact of the ball is not from the centre, which is something that a lot of beginners suffer.
The performance of the racquet is heavily dependent on the weather and humidity. Thus top players can not use this round the year. These strings are mostly used by players in combination with poly strings that gives more durability and consistency.
The best example is the Champions Choice Strings used by Roger Federer. Some of the most popular natural gut strings are Wilson Sensation and Babolat X-Cel.
Synthetic Gut or Nylon Strings
Synthetic gut or nylon strings are one of the cheapest and easy to produce products in the segment. The composition of the string is almost entirely out of a single filament.
The strings are much more durable than the natural gut strings but also compromises on the playability aspect. The tension maintenance in these strings is excellent. This is ideally suitable for the players who hit very hard or break strings very frequently.
It has a more crisp and powerful feeling in the hand compared to strings made from multifilaments. But the downside of it is the additional strain that it gives your arm. And even though many brands make some excellent synthetic gut strings, its use at the very top end is limited.
But it’s a great option for regular players who don’t want to spend a fortune on strings and get the best value & durability out of their racquet.
Wilson’s synthetic gut Duramax or Babolat’s SG Spiraltek are two of the best options in the market for this category. Both the strings give very comfortable feel similar to multifilaments but without the fraying and durability.
Polyester Gut String
Originally intended to be used for players who break the string very frequently, polyester guts are very stiff and tough strings. It did take quite a while for players to open up to using it because of the difficult tension holding capacity of the strings.
But as the products got better, they started becoming very popular on the pro tour. Its stiffness allows the players to apply more topspin on their shots.
The downside of them is because of its stiffness; they are not arm friendly. Players with tennis elbow conditions are advised not to use this product. This is an ideal product for players who play on intermediate and above levels and likes to swing big but without relying on huge power.
They are normally strung 5-10% lower then multifilament or natural gut strings, but it generates great levels of spin on the shots.
Babolat RPM Blast is the most popular product in this category. The octagonal section and cross-linking coating allow the strings to return to their original positions quickly and gives a huge “bite” to the ball.
Rafael Nadal and Stan Wawrinka have both used this product regularly. Most of the other players use these strings as a hybrid along with another material during clay court seasons.
Kevlar Strings
Kevlar strings are one level above to polyester when it comes to stiffness, durability, generating “bite” and also being harsh on the arm. It is an extremely hard string to break and has one of the best tension holding capacity across all materials.
But it is also very dangerous to use in isolation and players can develop a tennis elbow from it. Thus most of the times, players who use Kevlar strings as their main material combine it with nylon as the cross strings to reduce the stiffness or reduce the gauge for increased comfort.
The most famous player to have used Kevlar strings was Andre Agassi. But due to its obvious shortcoming and strain on the arm, it is not a preferred choice for most players.
Players on the challenger and semi-pro level do use the hybrid versions of it. Because of its lower popularity, most big brands don’t put out a huge range of kevlar strings.
The best product in the market in the range is Ashaway’s crossfire series. Mostly used with 16 gauge synthetic guts to balance the flexibility and ball control issues.
Multi Filament Strings
Commonly known as the “multi” strings, there are strings which have more than one filaments. Most of the times the filaments are made of nylon but at times are also incorporated with other materials such as kevlar, Zyex and polyester.
Compared to natural gut strings, it does not hold tension or provide a soft and smooth experience. But its main advantage is the additional elasticity and durability.
It is mainly used as the replacement to natural gut due to its lower costs. Natural gut and synthetic gut has a single and solid core, whereas multifilaments have hundreds or thousands of fibres which are more arm and elbow friendly offering more comfort. It also offers better power compared to its rivals due to its formation.
Wilson NXT is the most popular product in the range which offers the best power in its category. For players who want to prioritise comfort, Prince Premier Touch is a great option for them, but it is relatively expensive.
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