Home › Guides › What a string hybrid is and when to use one
Stringing
What a string hybrid is and when to use one
Putting two different strings in the same racquet, why half the pro tour does it, and whether it suits you.
A hybrid means stringing two different strings in the same racquet: one in the mains and another in the crosses. It is not a lab trick: a large share of the professional tour plays this way.
Mains and crosses do different jobs
The mains run top to bottom. They move most at impact, they generate the spin and they break first. The crosses hold them in place and provide much of the feel.
Since they do different jobs, it makes sense that they are not the same string.
The two setups you will see
| Setup | Mains | Crosses | What it achieves |
|---|---|---|---|
| The classic | Polyester | Natural gut or multifilament | Poly's control and spin, with some of the other's comfort and power |
| The reverse | Natural gut or multifilament | Polyester | More power and feel, slightly less spin. Less common |
Why it might suit you
- You want polyester's control but your arm is charging you for it.
- You break mains long before crosses, so you save by putting the expensive string only where it lasts.
- You want a middle ground and no single string gives it to you.
Why it might not
- It costs more than a simple job: two strings.
- It complicates tension: each side normally goes at different pounds.
- If you are starting out, it is optimizing something you cannot feel yet.
The honest rule
A hybrid is a good answer to a specific problem, not an automatic upgrade. If you cannot say in one sentence what you are trying to fix, you do not need a hybrid yet: try changing string type or tension first.
Read next: polyester or multifilament and what tension to use.