Tennis Strings: The Complete Guide

(Types, Feel, Power, Spin, Durability & Tension)

Quick Answer

• Feel & Power kings: Natural gut, soft multifilament.
• Control & Spin kings: Polyester/Co-poly (stiff), especially shaped/textured.
• Best budget all-rounder: Synthetic gut.
• Hybrids: Mix strengths (e.g., poly mains + gut/multi crosses).
• Gauge: Thinner (17/18) = more spin/feel; thicker (15/16) = more durability.
• Tension: Lower = more power/comfort; higher = more control/boardy. Start with 48–54 lbs (22–24.5 kg) and adjust.

Why Strings Matter More Than You Think

Strings are your racquet’s engine. They determine how long the ball sits on the strings (dwell time), how the bed deflects (stringbed stiffness), and how easily the mains snap back (spin). A frame change might tweak your game 5–10%; the right string + tension can do the same, for far less money.

String Types

(What They Are & Who They’re For)

1) Natural Gut

• What it is: Premium, organic fibers braided and coated.
• Feel/Power: Elite pocketing, comfort, power; tension holds extremely well.
• Spin/Control: High directional control due to crisp response; spin depends on gauge and pattern.
• Durability: Not for string breakers or frequent wet/humid play unless protected.
• Who it fits: Players wanting arm-friendliness, power, and consistent performance. Great in hybrids with poly mains.

2) Polyester / Co-Poly (often called “poly”)

• What it is: Stiff monofilament (co-poly blends add comfort).
• Feel/Power: Low power, firm; emphasizes control.
• Spin: Excellent when shaped/textured; snapback is the magic.
• Durability: Very durable vs. breakage, but tension drops faster; performance declines before breakage.
• Who it fits: Fast swings, modern topspin mechanics, intermediate–advanced. Not ideal if you have arm issues or slow strokes.

3) Multifilament

• What it is: Hundreds/thousands of microfibers bonded together.
• Feel/Power: Plush, powerful, arm-friendly alternative to gut.
• Spin/Control: Better than synthetic gut, less than poly; control is good at moderate tensions.
• Durability: Frays; not ideal for frequent string breakers unless thicker gauge.
• Who it fits: Comfort seekers, all-court players, juniors/seniors, recovering from elbow/shoulder pain.

4) Synthetic Gut (Solid Core + Wraps)

• What it is: Solid nylon core with one or more wraps.
• Feel/Power: Balanced: decent power, decent feel, decent control.
• Spin: Average; improves with thinner gauges.
• Durability: Moderate; affordable to restring often.
• Who it fits: Budget-friendly all-rounders, beginners–intermediates, backup string for anyone.

5) Kevlar / Aramid (Rare)

• What it is: Extremely stiff fibers, often in hybrids.
• Feel/Power: Very low power, extreme control, harsh on the arm.
• Durability: Top tier for chronic string breakers.
• Who it fits: Only heavy hitters who pop everything else—and pair with soft crosses.

Hybrids: Best of Both Worlds

• Poly mains + Gut/Multi crosses:
  • Why: Spin/control from poly; comfort/liveliness + tension hold from gut/multi.
  • For: Modern baseline players who want performance with some arm protection.
• Gut/Multi mains + Poly crosses:
  • Why: Preserve gut feel/power; add a touch of control/spin; slightly more comfortable.
  • For: All-courters seeking premium feel with tamable power.
• Tips: Start with poly 2–3 lbs (1–1.5 kg) lower than the softer string to balance feel. If mains = poly, consider dropping total reference tension 2–4 lbs vs. full multi.

Gauge (Thickness) & What It Changes

Rule of thumb: If you’re breaking strings too fast, go thicker or try a hybrid. If the stringbed feels dead/boardy, try thinner or lower tension.

Tension: Your Most Powerful Tuning Knob

• Lower tension (e.g., 45–50 lbs / 20–23 kg): More power, pocketing, comfort, higher spin potential (mains can move/snap back).
• Higher tension (e.g., 52–58 lbs / 23.5–26 kg): Flatter launch, more directional control, but can feel harsh/boardy and reduce spin if too tight.

Starting points:

• Poly: 44–52 lbs (20–23.5 kg). Most settle around 48–50 lbs.
• Multi / Syn Gut: 50–57 lbs (22.5–26 kg).
• Natural Gut: 50–58 lbs (22.5–26 kg).
• Open patterns (16×19 / 16×18): Consider +1–2 lbs for launch control.
• Dense patterns (18×20): Consider −1–2 lbs for liveliness.

Fine-tune in 2 lb (≈1 kg) steps. If shots sail long, go up 2 lbs. If balls land short/feel harsh, drop 2 lbs.

Comfort & Arm Health (Elbow/Shoulder)

• Prioritize natural gut or multifilament; avoid full, stiff poly if you have pain.
• Lower tensions help; pair with a more flexible racquet and a slightly heavier, head-light setup to cut shock.
• Fresh strings matter: old poly gets harsher as it loses resilience.

Spin: What Really Creates It

• Your technique (racquet speed + vertical brushing) is #1.
• String factors that help: lower tension (within reason), shaped/textured poly, thinner gauges, clean stringbed (wipe dust), and snapback (strings moving then returning).
• Pattern: More open patterns aid spin; dense patterns give flatter trajectories and directional precision.

Durability & Tension Maintenance

• Breakage: Thinner gauges, soft multis, and open patterns break faster. Poly resists breakage but plays best fresh.
• Tension hold: Natural gut > multifilament > synthetic gut > co-poly.
• If you don’t break often but play 3–5x/week: Cut out poly after 12–20 hours of play for consistent performance (even if not broken). Gut/multi can go longer.

Environment & Conditions

• Heat & humidity: Speeds tension loss; consider slightly higher tension or strings with better tension maintenance (gut/multi) and protect gut from moisture.
• Cold: Bed feels tighter and lower power—consider dropping tension 1–2 lbs.
• Hard courts: Tough on strings—durability matters more. Clay: more grit = more wear; expect faster notching.

Choosing by Player Type

Beginners (Developing Fundamentals)

• Goal: Comfort, feel, confidence.
• Pick: Synthetic gut 16 or multifilament 16 at 52–55 lbs (23.5–25 kg).
• Why: Balanced response, arm-friendly, affordable to restring while you improve.

Intermediates (Modern Baseline)

• Goal: Add control/spin without wrecking comfort.
• Pick: Soft co-poly 17 at 48–50 lbs or hybrid (poly mains 48 + multi crosses 50).
• Why: Control + spin with manageable feel.

Advanced / Heavy Topspin

• Goal: Max spin/control at racquet-head speed.
• Pick: Shaped co-poly 17/18 at 45–49 lbs.
• Why: Snapback + low power for big swings.

Arm-Sensitive / Returning from Injury

• Goal: Comfort first.
• Pick: Natural gut 16 at 52–55 lbs or multi 16 at 50–54 lbs; hybrid with gut mains + slick poly crosses (poly ~46–48).
• Why: Protect joints while keeping playability high.

Frequent String Breakers

• Goal: Durability without losing everything else.
• Pick: Co-poly 16/16L or hybrid (poly mains + gut/multi crosses).
• Why: More life per set; hybrids keep feel.

Popular Setups to Copy (and Tweak)

1. Control/Spin Hybrid: Poly mains 48 lbs + Multi crosses 50 lbs (17g).
2. Comfort-First Hybrid: Gut mains 54 lbs + Poly crosses 48 lbs (16/17g).
3. Budget All-Arounder: Syn gut 16 at 53 lbs.
4. Poly Baseline: Shaped poly 17 at 47 lbs (cut out at 12–16 hrs of play).

Troubleshooting: What to Change

• Sailing long: +2 lbs; thicker gauge; switch to firmer string or denser pattern.
• Falling short: −2 lbs; thinner gauge; livelier string (multi/gut).
• Elbow/shoulder pain: Drop tension 3–4 lbs, switch to multi/gut or hybrid, check technique and racquet balance.
• No spin / balls skid: Try thinner or shaped poly; reduce tension slightly; ensure clean strings.
• Strings move a lot: Higher tension or slicker strings; consider poly in mains; go denser pattern.

Care & Restringing Cadence

• Wipe grit and dust; store racquet away from extreme temps.
• Restring rule: If you play x times per week, restring x times per year (minimum). For poly users, go by hours (~12–20 hrs).
• Rotate two racquets if possible to keep feel consistent.

Comparison Table (At a Glance)

(Stars are relative across categories.)

Recommended Starting Points (By Racquet Pattern)

Adjust in 2 lb steps based on ball depth and arm feedback.

Clamping

clamp near the frame.

Consistency

do things the same each time!

Pre-weave one ahead

save time and less friction.