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Stringing
How to choose the string for your racquet
The four string types that exist, who each one is for, and why the setup your favorite player uses is probably wrong for you.
String is the only part of your racquet that touches the ball. Changing it changes your game more than changing frames, at a fraction of the cost.
The four types
| Type | Strong at | Weak at | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural gut | Comfort, power, feel | Price, hates humidity | Players who can afford it and protect the arm |
| Multifilament | Comfort, power | Frays quickly | Players with elbow or arm trouble |
| Nylon or synthetic gut | Price, balance, durability | Excels at nothing | Beginners and recreational players |
| Polyester or co-poly | Control, spin, durability | Harsh on the arm, dies fast | Big hitters who break strings |
Start from the problem you have
- You break strings every couple of weeks: polyester.
- Your elbow or shoulder hurts: multifilament, and drop the tension.
- Balls fly long: polyester, or add a couple of pounds.
- You lack depth and power: multifilament or nylon.
- You are just starting: nylon or synthetic gut. Do not spend on polyester yet.
Why you should not copy the pros
Many tour players use a hybrid: polyester in the mains for control and spin, natural gut in the crosses for feel. It is an expensive setup, swapped every few matches, built for someone accelerating the racquet at speeds a club player never reaches.
Put the same setup in the hands of someone playing twice a week and it feels dead and punishes the arm. The right string is the one that suits your game, not the one on television.
Gauge matters too
Gauge is the thickness of the string, usually between 1.15 and 1.35 mm. Thinner bites the ball better, gives more spin and feels better, but breaks sooner. Thicker lasts longer and is more forgiving, but feels muted.
If you do not know where to start, sit in the middle around 1.25 mm and move from there.
Hybrid: best of both
A hybrid puts two different strings in the same racquet. The common setup uses polyester in the mains, which do the spin work and break first, and something softer in the crosses so you do not lose all the comfort. It is a reasonable way out if you want polyester's control but your arm is charging you for it.
Read next: what tension to use and how often to restring.