STRINGING

Synthetic Gut strings are often called nylon strings, though the constructions have gotten much more sophisticated by using different materials to enhance playability. Because of the solid center core, synthetic gut strings are tougher and hold tension better than multifilament or co-polyester constructions.

Natural gut is produced by drying fibers extracted from a part of the cow intestine called the serous membrane, or serosa, which contains collagen designed to withstand the stretching and contraction of the intestine. It is this elasticity that makes the fibers useful for tennis string.

The main benefits of using multifilament strings is the comfort and shock absorption that they offer. Because they are flexible, they are great at dampening the ball on contact and will absorb a lot of unwanted vibrations themselves, rather than transferring them on to your arm.

Hybrid stringing refers to a stringing method where two different strings are combined when stringing a racquet, one for the vertical mains and another for the horizontal crosses.

Polyester and nylon are the two most popular materials used to create synthetic tennis strings. Polyester strings are commonly used by intermediate to advanced tennis players looking for a low powered option with enhanced spin, control, and durability.

String tension is the pressure at which the strings are secured to the racket's frame and is performed in either lbs or kg. Low tension gives more power and high tension gives more control. The lower tension strings stretch more during impact and thus store more energy. When the ball rebounds from the racquet, more energy is returned, so it leaves with a higher speed.