Strings Explained

There are many different string types on the market. Sometimes it seems too confusing for a club player to pick a string for their racket.

So, to narrow down these options I will give you 4 choices:

Natural Gut.

This is animal intestine, often used by professional players, but not so popular these days. It has great feel and power, but is expensive, has a short life span and is affected by damp conditions, but a lot of players love the feel of it. If you want to buy this for your tennis racket then I will string it for you, but I do not hold stock of natural gut.

Multifilament String.

Lots of fibres are put together to provide a soft feel and a responsive ball strike and more power. They are a great choice if you do not break strings very often. This is the nearest synthetic option to natural gut and a lot cheaper too. The negative aspect to these strings is mainly durability and a little loss of ball control.

Monofilament String.

These polyester strings are popular with professional players and club players alike and they give you plenty of spin and control. They are very predictable because of the “snap-back” effect of the strings at contact. They are also extremely durable, so are a good option for string breakers. However, they can lose a little tension and are less powerful than multifilament. The biggest issue is that if you have tennis elbow or wrist problems due to playing tennis then these will not help that.  Combining a multifilament and monofilament string in your mains and crosses would give you the best of both options.

Synthetic Gut.

This is a low budget solid core string. It has good playability factors including power, ball control and spin. It is a popular choice for many players and is at the cheaper end of the market.

This is a great starting point for players who are not sure what strings to purchase. It will give you good combination of all playing characteristics.

String Gauges.

The most common gauges are 15 & 16 amongst club players. Without getting too technical think that the more feel and spin you want then the 16 gauge may be your personal choice. The more durability you want then aim for the 15 gauge.

My personal recommendation is to choose between the 15 and 16 gauge.