Das Tennissaiten-ABC

The ABC of tennis strings

The string is the life of your tennis racket. It is not for nothing that they say that the performance of a tennis racket depends 50% on the string. Yes, you heard right! But people often neglect the stringing and only have the racket restrung when the strings are no longer all over the place. But when is the perfect time to restring your racket? And with which string? And does it perhaps also have something to do with the racket model? In this blog post, we will tell you everything you need to know about tennis strings and more!

Property-specific subdivision

A tennis string has various properties that allow it to be divided into different categories. To get into the topic comfortably, we will start with the property-specific division, i.e.: What can the tennis string do?

All-round

  • A string without certain weaknesses, but also without specific strengths for a balanced game.
  • Standard polyamide strings

Arm-friendly

  • When the ball hits the string board, the string and the frame of the racket begin to vibrate. Part of the energy created is passed back to the ball, but the rest is passed on to the human body where it has to be dissipated.
  • The more the remaining energy can be absorbed by the string, the less it has to be dissipated by the body and is therefore easier on the arm. Fewer vibrations reach the hand and arm.
  • These strings include multifilament and gut strings.

durability

  • When we talk about durability, we mean the number of hours of play during which the string can maintain its properties.
  • A polyester string has already lost a large part of its properties after 5 hours of playing time. A multifilament string after about 30 hours and a gut string only after about 40 hours.
  • Durability is particularly important when strings are subject to high levels of wear. A multifilament lasts a long time, but tends to break quickly.
  • Durable strings are mainly gut strings and (if the strings have little wear) multifilament strings.

control

  • A control string allows for accurate playing and better reproducibility of results.
  • If you have a wide string pattern, large racket head, top-heavy rackets, a strong swing and/or a game with a lot of power, a control string can counteract this and offer more control in every shot.
  • If you want a lot of control, you also need an exact point of impact, as the sweet spot is reduced.
  • In general: increasing control - decreasing power

power

  • The more elasticity a string offers, the greater the resulting ball acceleration
  • Strings with good power provide a relatively large proportion of the energy for ball acceleration.
  • They can be combined well with a tight string pattern, small racket head and/or a game with little power/swing.
  • Power strings can enlarge the sweet spot.
  • In general: increasing power - decreasing control

Touch

  • Tennis strings with a moderate energy transfer, a certain balance of the energy input and a slightly delayed reaction provide a more direct feedback and thus a more precise feeling for the shot.
  • Strings with a lot of touch can be beneficial for a balanced playing style, because they can dose strokes in a wide variety of ways very finely and require a precise structure of the possibilities.

Spin

  • Spin strings give the ball rotation generated from the racket movement more rotation, i.e. sideways spin or superimposed rotation. This means that the ball flies in a higher arc and spins faster. It bounces higher on impact.
  • To achieve this additional rotation, strings can be processed in different ways: changing the cross-section (e.g. pentagonal or hexagonal strings), additional fiber windings (e.g. wave profile), notches or milling, but also by coating and/or blunt surfaces.
  • The greater the profiling, the greater the effect.
  • Here, too, one can generalize that increasing spin negatively affects control.

String gauge

  • The diameter of a string has a significant effect on its playing behavior and can therefore change its properties.
  • The most important basics:
    • The thinner the string, the greater the power and spin, but the lower the durability and control
      • Why? A thin string also opens up the string pattern and allows the ball to dig deeper into the string pattern. More energy and rotation is transferred to the ball through the increased trampoline effect, meaning more power and spin. However, a thin string breaks more quickly and the trampoline effect causes the ball to scatter more, thus reducing durability and reducing control.
    • The thicker the string, the better the control and durability, but the power and spin acceptance decrease.
      • Why? A thick string closes the string pattern and the ball cannot dig in as deeply. Less energy and rotation are transferred to the ball, but the ball scatters less on its way. The thickness extends the playing time before the strings wear out.
    • The thicker a string is, the stiffer it is. It is less playable.
    • The thinner the string, the more elastic it is. It also offers better playing support.
    • Thicker strings can be easier on the arm than thin strings because they reduce impact shock to a greater extent.

String tension

  • The following dependencies generally apply:
    • As the string tension increases, ball control also increases, while power and durability decrease.
    • As the string tension decreases, power and durability increase, but control decreases.
  • The standard string tension is approx. 24kg.
  • What is meant by a 24/23 kg stringing?
    • The longitudinal strings are tightened with a 24 kg stringing machine.
    • The cross strings are tightened with 23 kg.
  • Why is the cross string often strung softer than the main string?
    • On the one hand, it is because the cross string is relatively shorter than the main string. If you pull the cross string just as hard as the main string, the cross string could be stiffer. However, the difference is very small and, given the difference of one kilo, is hardly noticeable for the average consumer.
    • On the other hand, a softer cross string can make the string pattern livelier, meaning the string is more mobile and the spin potential increases. The sweet spot can also be increased.
    • However, the softer cross string also means a little bit of precision and control is lost.
    • If the main string is strung softer than the cross string, the opposite occurs.
  • In general, it is recommended to keep the tension between the main and cross strings at a maximum of 1-2 kilos. A larger difference can lead to excessive string movement, for example. If you play 26 kg main and 22 kg cross, it might be better to meet in the middle and play 24/24 kg.

We string your rackets according to your wishes on the newest and most modern stringing machines available on the market. Your rackets are strung by experts with years of experience who have already strung for professionals on the WTA and ATP Tour.

design type

Actually, no tennis string is a simple strand of plastic. There is often more to their structure than you might think. Before we delve a little into the chemistry in the next section and discuss the material and its composition, we should first go back to their construction:

Monofilament

  • Monofilament strings are simply constructed compared to all other strings; they consist of just a single strand. The differences between the strings lie in the processing and the use of different materials or material combinations.
  • Monofilament strings include simple "classic" polyester strings, various types of copolymers ("soft polyester", e.g. Babolat Pro Hurricane ) and very high-quality PEEK strings (e.g. Luxilon Alu-Power ).
  • The strings are usually stiff, the (initially) very good power decreases in a relatively short time and the strings lose their "crisp" feel.
  • Advantages: Durability, firm feel, little string slippage
  • Disadvantages: low tension consistency, (mostly) little comfort and no arm protection

Multifilament

  • Multifilament strings are highly technical constructions made of up to 1500 individual fibers in a variety of construction types made from a variety of materials, which are usually very high quality. These include, for example, the Wilson NXT .
  • Multifilament strings are usually used as hybrid strings, which means they are combined with another string (usually a stiffer monofilament string) and are a slightly cheaper alternative to gut strings.
  • Advantages: very good arm protection, good playing feel, high elasticity over a long period of time, retains its properties for a long time (durability)
  • Disadvantages: Compared to monofilaments, the strings wear out significantly more and some strings have to be broken in first

Multifilament with solid core

  • Multifilament strings with a solid core are classic nylon strings. These used to be relatively popular. But monofilament strings have now become very good and nylon strings are rarely used anymore. They are either manufactured simply and inexpensively, but can also consist of complex structures with several cores and multi-layered windings made of different high-quality materials.

  • The simpler constructions are considered good all-round strings (synthetic gut), while the more complex ones specifically emphasize individual properties.
  • These strings have neither major disadvantages nor major advantages. We recommend using them as hybrid strings.

Band structure

  • Ribbon-structure strings behave like multifilament strings, but offer a little more control.
  • Instead of individual fibers, several fibers are woven into whole bands and the bands are then put together to form a strand (e.g. Isospeed Professional).

Natural casing

  • Natural gut strings are still unrivalled in terms of elasticity, tension stability and "performance" over the entire lifespan of the string. They are manufactured in a multi-stage process, usually using cow intestines. In order to withstand various weather conditions, complex technical processes (e.g. plasticizing the individual fiber structures with special polyurethane materials) are used to significantly improve them.

  • Actually only used in combination with a monofilament string (hybrid).
  • Advantages: All-rounder, long durability, lots of touch, arm protection, and comfort
  • Disadvantages: expensive, slightly dependent on weather

Hybrid

  • A hybrid string is a combination of different main and cross strings. This allows the properties of two different strings to be combined. The possible combinations are almost unlimited.
  • Probably the most well-known combination consists of a gut string and a monofilament polyester string, combining durability, arm protection and feel. The pre-packaged Babolat RPM Blast + Touch VS set offers exactly this combination.
  • Advantages: Combination of properties unattainable in a single string
  • Disadvantages: negative characteristics are also combined

With us you will find a large selection of tennis strings from the major tennis brands!

material

The material from which tennis strings are made is mainly a variety of plastic forms that differ from one another due to their chemical composition and have different properties. However, the very first tennis string was made from animal intestines in the 16th century. Pierre Babolat, the forefather of the world-famous French tennis company Babolat, invented the first natural gut string in 1875. Thanks to high-tech machines and innovative technologies, there are now many more materials from which tennis strings are made. Let's take a closer look at the different compositions:

Polyester/Co-Polyester
  • Polyester is created from a polycondensation reaction between alcohol and carboxylic acid. Its structure is relatively simple and offers extremely good tear resistance.
  • However, due to the high brittleness and very low elasticity, processing as a microfiber is extremely complicated, so that simple as well as more complex polyester materials are almost exclusively processed as monofilament strings, which have good durability but continuously lose properties under tensile stress.
  • To reduce this, different monomers are often processed together (co-polyester) or a number of additives are added. The high-quality (co-)polyester-based strings therefore no longer only have good durability and initially good power and control as properties, but are now also able to offer a certain degree of feel and touch.
  • Popular (co-)polyester strings include the Babolat RPM Blast , the Head Hawk , or the Wilson Revolve .

Aramid

  • Aramids are aromatic polyamides (Kevlar). The golden-yellow fibers with high strength and toughness have good vibration damping.
  • These polyamides are used as a component in multifilament strings to increase durability and good shock absorption.
  • An Armid string or Armid-Co-Polyester string is usually used as a hybrid string with a monofilament string.

Polyurethan

  • Polyurethane is formed by a polyaddition reaction of polyisocyanates with polyhydric alcohol. The synthetic fibers are soft and elastic and have a high tear resistance. Therefore, they are used in strings as a soft protective covering or as a shock-absorbing fiber to increase comfort.
  • Pure PU strings are not produced. A string with polyurethane added would be the Babolat Xcel.

Polyamide (Nylon)

  • Polyamides are polycondensation products of a carboxylic acid and an amide. They are known as nylon. Due to the sometimes mixed use of a wide variety of aliphatic and aromatic starting compounds, there is a large variety of polyamides with a wide range of properties and different quality levels.
  • Advantages: high strength, stiffness, toughness, very good processability and dynamics
  • Monofilament strings are now of high quality and have increasingly replaced nylon strings in recent years.

PEEK polymers

  • Polyetheretherketones (PEEK) are one of the most expensive plastics and are produced by alkylation of biphenol salts.
  • The thermoplastic properties make further processing much easier. This plastic makes monofilament strings more tension-stable, more comfortable and more durable. It also makes it possible to produce strings with very small diameters. The Luxilon Alu Power contains exactly this plastic, which makes the string so particularly high-quality and therefore gives it such a high price point.
  • Very high-quality multifilament strings also contain fine PEEK fibers to increase their resistance.

Natural casing

  • Pierre Babolat (the forefather of the world-famous tennis brand Babolat) produced the first real tennis string made of gut in 1875. At first they were made from sheep intestines, later from cow intestines, as is still the case today.
  • To produce a good gut string, you need three cow intestines, which are processed into the string in a complex, multi-stage process. An important component here is collagen. The triple helix of this structural peptide has enormous tensile strength and a very stable and almost untwisted structure.
  • Advantages: Durability in terms of playing time, arm protection, elasticity, good playing feel
  • Disadvantages: quickly becomes brittle, especially due to weather influences (heat, cold, rain, etc.)
  • Nowadays, good gut strings are coated with plastic to better protect them from environmental influences and to make them more tear-resistant ( Babolat Touch VS ).

  • Like high-quality multifilament strings, the strings need to be broken in for a certain amount of time to achieve their properties (this is also partly achieved by pre-stretching on the stringing machine).

  • A string made of pure gut strings is very rare these days (reasons: cost, difficult to get used to polyester strings, sometimes simply too soft). Therefore, gut strings are mainly strung in combination with a polyester string (hybrid stringing). If gut is strung crosswise, the string lasts longer; if it is strung lengthways, you get more elasticity (spin, power).

Polyolefins

  • Polyolefins - saturated hydrocarbons - are created through radical polymerization. They are very robust and flexible, often have a low density and high tear resistance.
  • In addition to their independent processing, particularly in fiber ribbons, which provide excellent control and feel in a range of high-quality strings, polyolefins are used alongside polyurethanes, especially as a protective coating for simpler strings.

Other copolymers

  • Most high-quality strings are made of copolymers. These are several monomers that have been put together and therefore have special properties.

  • In addition to the aforementioned (co)polymers, tennis strings also contain polyethers, special aromatic polyesters, polyfluorocarbons, terpenes and many more, mostly to create specific properties (e.g. special elasticity, strong cross-linking, high abrasion resistance, special surface structures, etc.).

And which string suits you?

As the saying goes for many things in life: it depends! You should pay attention to these factors when choosing strings:
  • Game type
  • Racket model
  • String pattern
  • What do I want to achieve? More spin, more control, more durability?
  • Where do I play? Altitude, course surface, weather?
  • Who do I play with?
  • Etc.

There are many factors to consider to find the perfect string. Ultimately, we recommend:

  1. Start with a standard stringing: 24/24 kg with a monofilament string that gives off a little power and spin. The string should cost around 100-200€ per 200m roll, then the quality and durability will be fine.
  2. If you are comfortable with the string, try playing with the kilograms. Sometimes string less, sometimes more. If you prefer a softer string, you will prefer power and spin. If you prefer a harder string, you will prefer control. Depending on your preference, you can also try power strings or control strings.
  3. Try a set-up that you feel comfortable with! That will make you feel confident on the pitch. You can always experiment, but if you have doubts, go back to your comfort zone.
  4. Don't think too much about it! Tennis should be fun and should inspire your ambition. A standard stringing can be just as good as the high-quality and precise set-up of a professional. It always depends on the player!
  5. We recommend restringing once a month for amateur players who play 1-2 hours a week. When the strings start to move, the old strings should be removed.
  6. Get advice from a professional! We are happy to help you . Either stop by our shop , call us, write an email, or join the chat!
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