Every tennis player has different tastes and needs in tennis strings. A beginner or injury-prone, or seasonal player wants something that is comfortable and helps him to play better, while an advanced level player wants something that can deliver power and spin to take his game to the next level. Whether you are a beginner, seasoned player, or advanced level player, we have got you covered. In order to help you find the best tennis strings for your game, we have compiled a list of some of the best racquet strings for tennis and also mentioned which one would be a great fit for what type of player.
Our Top 7 Best Tennis Strings Right Now
Babolat RPM Blast Rough 12m String: Best Tennis string for Spin
- Co-poly compound
- 12 meter Long
- Durable and octagonal construction
- Provides maximum control and spin
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 17: Best Tennis string for Power
- Multifilament tennis strings
- PU 400 and Elastic
- 17 gauge
- Offers power, feel, and comfort
Solinco Hyper-G Heaven High Spin poly string: Best Tennis string for control
- Square shaped co-poly strings
- 40-foot pack
- Maximize power, spin, control, and durability
- Best for almost all types of players
Solinco Confidential Tennis String: Best Tennis string for durability
- Versatile co-polyester string
- Allows improved tension maintenance
- Provides maximum power and spin
- One of the most durable strings
Prince Premier Touch: Best Tennis string for comfort
- Multifilament strings
- 16 gauge and 12.2 meter long
- Provides comfort and power
- Designed for players who want extra touch
Head RIP Control Tennis Racket String 40: Best tennis string for beginner
- Multifilament string
- 18 gauge and 12 meters long
- Best for someone who wants power and control
- Available in multiple colors
Wilson Natural 16 Tennis: Best Tennis Strings For Tennis Elbow
- Made of natural serosa fibers
- 16 gauge and 12.2 meters long
- Long term playability
- Best choice for control and feel
Attributes Of Best Tennis Strings
Price
Tennis strings are made of different materials, and different materials have different asking prices. For instance, synthetic tennis stings are sold for around $5 to $15, while a set of natural gut tennis stings can go up to $25 to $50. The price also varies from brand to brand.
Other factors that impact the price are the gauge of the string and whether they are on a reel or just a single set. Getting a reel of strings would be a more economical purchase than buying a single set if you split your tennis strings frequently.
Durability
The durability of a tennis string refers to its strength and longevity. It goes without saying that a durable tennis string will serve you for a longer period of time.
Polyester tends to be the most durable of tennis string materials. The drawback is the strings tend to send out more punch to your arm and racquet and make you lose connection to the strings.
And after playing for a while, the tension on the string could also drop. So, you need to check the string tension regularly and do the required maintenance.
It is vital to pick out the best tennis strings if you want to control the hitting of the ball.
Tension
Your string tension is your choice, and it defines what you want from your racquet. It is the decisive aspect of whether you want more control over your racquet or more power.
Ideal tension is different for each type of string. However, you can manually adjust the strings to your liking. If you want more power, you can tune the strings for lower tension; but this also makes the strings vulnerable to breaking.
If you want to prevent breaking, you can use a higher tension string. This will also give you better control while playing. However, your hand is likely to receive more vibrations with higher tension, which could lead to a tennis elbow.
Choose your strings tension sensibly as it will govern how the racquet feels.
Elasticity
Elasticity refers to the responsiveness and flexibility of your strings. Typically, a more flexible string will provide you with more power. Elasticity will also make your string spring back to its normal position after hitting the ball and give you an enjoyable feel to your shots.
If that is how you want to play, then Nylon strings might be the thing for you as it is the most elastic strings.
String Gauge
The gauge of tennis strings ranges from 19 (thinnest) to 15 (thickest). Yeah, you saw it right. The higher gauge number refers to the thinner strings, and the lower number refers to the thickest ones.
The playing of your racquet and the way you strike the ball will be impacted by the gauge of the string. You will get more spin and feel with thinner strings, which will enhance the ability of your racquet.
However, a thinner string will break more easily. Well, because it’s thinner. On the other hand, a thicker string will be more durable and also give you more power.
In the end, the choice of gauge comes down to your game preference.
Types Of Best Strings For Tennis And Their Characteristics
Natural Gut
Back in the day, natural gut strings were used by manufacturers to strung their racquets. Even though their history starts in the 1870s, they are still popular in this modern age.
This type of string is made from organic fibers such as cow intestine. Some modern-day string can give it a run for its money, but there’s nothing like it. Tennis purists and pros love natural gut strings because of their elasticity, power, and feel.
If you want your racquet to offer these traits in your game, then you can try this tennis string from Wilson.
However, not all players choose to go with natural gut tennis strings because they usually cost the most. Plus, they lack durability and can snap anytime, which means you will have to buy replacements very often. Most pros choose to use natural gut string because money is not an issue for them, but for amateurs or recreational players, it can get really costly.
Synthetic Gut
Although these strings are man-made from Nylon, they are designed to offer the feeling of natural gut strings. These are the best tennis racquet strings for most players. This is an inexpensive option and is commonly used by recreational, beginner, and intermediate players.
Synthetic gut provides users with a good all-around performance and gives a crisp feel to your shots. They are also very comfortable and playable. While Synthetic gut gives players access to quality strings at an affordable price range, they are not quite as good as natural gut strings.
These types of strings also tend to be more durable than natural gut strings, which is really good as players won’t have to buy replacements very often.
Polyester
Polyester tennis strings became immensely popular in the past decade or so. These types of strings are one of the most admired among professional tennis players. It allows professional players to take massive cuts at the ball and helps players to swing with more topspin.
These strings also provide more control, and if you strike with enough power, the strings will deform and snap back into housing, enhancing topspin further. Their durability is also admirable.
However, all these tend to come at a cost that the strings can be harsh on your arm, and you are more likely to get tennis elbow by playing with these strings.
Multifilament
Tiny nylon fibers are wrapped together to make Multifilament string. This is why they can hold tension better than synthetic gut strings. The level of power, comfort, and feel these strings provide are equivalent to natural gut, and that is so without the high cost.
However, these strings can be difficult to control and overpowering. Depending on your level of play and preference, the best features of this string can be a drawback.
Kevlar
Kevlar is one of the latest developments in tennis, and they are made of aramid fibers. It is the most durable and stiff string on the market. So, if you are someone who frequently breaks strings, you might want to try these strings.
They also provide control and power to your game. You can also easily add spin to your shots using these strings. Durability is the main reason for using Kevlar tennis strings.
However, their durability is also their drawback. The strings are quite hard on the arm. So, if you are prone to tennis elbow, then you shouldn’t play with Kevlar strings.
Another expense of durability is that you will have less feel and touch of the racquet.
Difference Between Natural Gut, Synthetic And Polyester Tennis Strings
Tennis Strings Comparison Table
| String Type | Power | Control | Durability | Comfort | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Natural Gut |
Medium |
High |
Low |
High |
High |
|
Synthetic |
Medium |
Medium |
High |
Medium |
Low |
|
Polyester |
High |
Medium |
High |
Low |
Medium |
String Performance And Best Choice For Each One With Buying Guide
Topspin
Players love tennis strings that can generate massive topspin. For this purpose, polyester tennis strings are the ideal choice without a doubt. They have a sleek surface and can snap back into place. These two features combine to help players generate maximum spin.
With a number of polyester strings on the market, there are not many you can call the best. However, here we have one that stands out as the best tennis string for topspin.
Best Tennis string for Spin: Babolat RPM Blast Rough 12m String
If you want to take your topspin capability to the max, the Babolat RPM Blast is the best choice for you. It is a polyester tennis string and helps to generate topspin with its slick and quick snap back into place upon contact capability.
And that’s not it; this string also comes with a unique octagonal shape that allows the player to grasp the ball and enhance the spin potential. Also, despite being a polyester tennis string, this one is quite comfortable to play with.
If you want to take your topspin game to the next level without sacrificing comfort, then the Babolat RPM Blast could be your ideal choice as it has the ability to provide maximum spin.
With this string, you will also enjoy hitting backhands and forehands from the back of the court because the ball thrusts off the strings with topspin. This is only possible with a polyester string.
These strings provide spin and low power that allows the player to take a full swing and also make huge cuts at the ball with confidence, resulting in a topspin that goes beyond the net and dips back into the court. With these features, the player will have a strong sense of control and should be able to move players from side to side and earn points.
In terms of durability, the Babolat RPM Blast string is something you can count on to withstand all the beating. However, enough with the good stuff.
As this string is made of polyester, it provides relatively less comfort and power compared to other types of strings. The low power feature is great, but some players want more, which it is not able to deliver. And from a comfort perspective, it's stiffer, and a couple of other types offer much more comfort.
Power
Not everyone has the same strength; thus, not every player can hit the ball with the same power. Don’t worry; the right strings can bring more power to your shots. And with the right strings, you should be able to hit bigger serve or groundstrokes. You can add some power to your racquet with the best tennis string for power.
Best Tennis string for Power: Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 17
Tecnifibre X-One Biphase is a multifilament tennis string and has features like Elastyl and PU 400 that gives the player more power. It is a technological dynamo and a comfortable string to play with. Even players with tennis elbows can play with this string. This hybrid string setup is a great option with the spin-friendly and control-oriented polyester.
Its stand-out feature is its power, and it delivers on its best feature. The ball will jump off the strings easily, but in some cases, the player may need to adjust the tension to find the perfect spot between control and balance.
Typically, multifilament strings are a combination of thousands of fibers, so they provide an arm-friendly hitting experience. And this experience will be enhanced with the X-One Biphase because it is an ultra-comfortable string. It eases the impact on your arm by absorbing the shock and still generate liveliness.
Besides providing power, this string also has the mixture of the right ingredients to deliver exceptional touch and feel. You should be able to enjoy these features from all side areas of the court.
While the X-One Biphase provides great power, comfort, and feel, it lacks in providing spin. The natural ability to snap back into place is absent in this multifilament string. This is the feature that helps players to produce topspin.
You may also find this string a bit overpowering as compared to polyester tennis string. This could make it a bit harder for you to control the ball.
The X-One Biphase delivers a strong playability duration, but the durability of the string may be a problem for someone who breaks strings regularly.
Control
Tennis has grown a lot. Stronger players are playing more aggressively, which makes the ability to control the ball very important.
A string that is adapted to control might be an excellent option if you want to avoid overhitting and keep the ball in play and also generate topspin. It will also be a great choice if you have a stiffer frame and want to tone down the power.
The perfect string choice for control is the polyester tennis strings because they generate low power. Although not all polyester strings are the same. But we have found a string for you that you can call the best tennis string for control.
Best Tennis string for control: Solinco Hyper-G Heaven High Spin poly string
If control is what you seek, then you can stop looking around and go for the Solinco Hyper-G. It is a bright green co-poly that has good popularity among control-loving players. Its contrasting features are its firmness and ultra-low power that you can utilize to maintain precision and take massive cuts at the ball.
The square-shaped Hyper-G comes with four edges that grip the ball. Combine the polyester’s ability to snap back into place with its lower power, and you will end up with a racquet head that will allow you to confidently increase speed and generate a lot of topspin to dictate placement.
This is a special string because it not only delivers promised control but also gives an excellent feel. Only a number of polyester strings are capable of doing that. With this string, you will have a greater sense of control and also know what to expect when the ball leaves your racquet.
Even though polyester tennis strings are not the best when it comes to feeling, the Solinco Hyper-G delivers on it. Its high-end performance in this category also differentiates it from many low-powered strings. The strings feel also add to the control.
While intermediate and advanced players would appreciate the low-power performance of Solinco Hyper-G, many feel it has gone a bit too far in this regard. Plus, comfort is not something you can expect very much from this string. So, if you are someone with arm issues, consider this before purchasing.
Durability
If you want a string that will serve you for a long time, or you are someone who breaks the strings frequently, then you should look for a durable string that can survive. Also, restringing too often can be quite expensive. See Our Best Tennis Stringing Machine Review And Buying guide
This category is also dominated by polyester strings due to their slick surface and solid monofilament construction. Most polyester tennis strings are reasonably more durable than natural gut, synthetic gut, and multifilament tennis strings. And we have one of the most durable tennis strings for you.
Best Tennis string for durability: Solinco Confidential Tennis String
The Solinco Confidential was released in 2020, and it quickly became one of the strongest contenders for the best polyester strings. Its defining trait is its durability, but it also flourishes in other areas such as control, spin, and the time in which the string gives optimal performance.
Being a four-sided string, the Solinco Confidential offers an added bite. It is a highly durable polyester string that also delivers on performance in other areas.
It is one of the most durable strings on the market. So, if you are a chronic string breaker or heavy hitter, then highly consider the Solinco Confidential.
This polyester string, with its four-sided construction, also deliver spin. And with this low-powered package’s excellent balance between spin and feel, you also get exceptional control. This will enable you to move your opponents and dictate points.
While these strings deliver in many areas, it lacks in some. To be specific, the Solinco Confidential gives you lower power and less comfort. If you want to play with a low-powered string and never have any issues with your arm, then it could be an ideal fit for you because it is quite durable.
Comfort
Tennis elbow is one of the most common injuries in tennis. It can sideline a player from playing and also is painful.
It is the result of harsh vibrations from playing tennis. String manufacturers are continuously developing products to increase the comfort of the players and decrease the possibility of tennis elbow.
For the best comfort-oriented tennis string, we have chosen the Prince Premier Touch.
Best Tennis string for comfort: Prince Premier Touch
The Prince Premier Touch is a multifilament string, the construction of which is made from thousands of individual fibers. It is a great imitation of natural gut makeup.
And to add to that, Prince used a spiraled ribbon construction to attentively resemble the serosa fibers of the natural gut. The result is an exceptionally soft multifilament that delivers the comfort of a natural gut.
It is the ideal choice for players who seeks comfort the most. This hybrid string setup is a no-brainer choice for players who are willing to get comfort at the expense of some other areas.
Besides comfort, you also get quite a level of power. The ball will jump from the strings even at a higher tension. However, if you are used to control-oriented, stiffer tennis string, and like to hit the ball with a lot of topspin, then you may not find this string satisfying to play with.
The Prince Premier Touch lacks in a number of areas such as control, feel and spin department. It is quite difficult to generate topspin with this string, and it also lacks to provide the feeling. Plus, controlling and directing the ball with precision is not easy with this string.
Things To Consider When Choosing A Tennis String For You
Benefit: Best Tennis String For Your Playing Style
The difference in tennis racquet size and weight will give you a different playing experience. And just like that, you will find that different types of tennis strings have different impacts when you hit the ball.
Getting the right string for your playing style comes with a number of benefits, such as control, power, spin, and comfort. Let’s dive into the details and find out which of these benefits are best for which player. And also, check out a few of the best tennis strings based on each benefit.
Power: How fast the ball leaps after hitting the string bed
An ideal choice for Power
strings are ideal for players who are yet to learn how to generate a lot of power. These strings are also recommended for those who are just learning the game and also for a junior player who still hasn’t developed many muscles.
Recommended Strings:
Natural gut or nylon is used for making power strings. The best tennis string choice for the power category is Wilson Big Banger Aluminium Power Tennis Racket String and WILSON Sporting Goods Champions Choice Duo Tennis String.
Control: The dwell time of the ball or how long it stays on the string bed
An ideal choice for Control
strings are the best tennis strings for experienced players. Since experienced players can generate their own power, with a control string, they can dictate where the ball goes. This enables them to hit their desired spots.
Recommended Strings:
Polyester is used to control strings and nylon in some cases. The recommended control-oriented strings are YTEX Quadro Twist Black Tennis Racquet String, and HEAD Hawk Touch Tennis Racket String.
Comfort: The volume of vibration or shock you feel in your arm upon contact
An ideal choice for Comfort
strings are the best tennis string choice for players who are vulnerable to tennis elbow or any other arm injuries. These types of strings are also ideal for senior players and for those who have had arm issues in the past.
Recommended Strings:
Natural gut or nylon-like flexible materials are used to make comfort strings. The recommended choice for this category is Head RIP Control Tennis Racket String 40 and WILSON Sporting Goods Champions Choice Duo Tennis String, Natural.
Spin: How many rotations can the strings generate on the ball
An ideal choice for Spin
strings are ideal for professional players who want to create a spin on the ball to make playing difficult for the opponents.
Recommended Strings:
Polyester is commonly used to make spin strings. It usually comes in different textures designed and shapes, which improves the spin. Some of the best tennis strings for spin are Solinco Tour Bite Soft 17 and Solinco Hyper-G Heaven High Spin poly string.
Which Type Of Strings Should You Use?
Tennis strings are made with different materials as well as thicknesses to enable them to generate different benefits. When it comes to choosing on material, there are three things to consider:
Materials:
Natural gut, polyester, and nylon (multifilament) are used to make tennis strings. For beginner to intermediate players, tennis strings made of nylon and natural gut are the ideal choice because of their ability to deliver comfort and power. And for advanced-level players, polyester is the ideal choice as it has stiffer and more control-oriented properties.
Gauge:
Gauges refer to the thickness of the tennis strings, and you will find that different tennis strings have different gauges. A thicker gauge means more control and durability, and a thinner gauge provides more comfort and power. Below you will find the most common tennis string gauges and which one is ideal for what level of player:
15/1.40mm: This is the thickest gauge and an ideal choice for players who want maximum control and durability.
16/1.30mm: Gauge with a medium level of thickness; ideal for frequent strings breaker and advanced level players.
16L/1.28mm: This medium gauge is best for competitive players who want a combination of control and power.
17/1.25mm: This medium-thin gauge offers power as well as comfort; an ideal choice for beginner and intermediate players.
17L/1.20mm: For players who want an enhanced feel and touch, the thin gauge is the best option.
18/1.15mm: This is the thinnest gauge, and it takes feel and touch to the maximum and is also ideal for players who seek that from their string.
Hybrid or full bed:
Tennis strings are strung on a racquet both horizontally (crosses) and vertically (mains). So, you have to make the decision about which strings go side to side and which strings go up and down.
Players mostly use the same string for both, which is called full bed. However, many players use two different strings, which is called hybrid. This allows them to reap the benefits of two different strings in one racquet.
For example, using a nylon string in horizontally and a polyester string vertically will provide the player with a mix of comfort, power, spin, and control. But if you had only used nylon, the resulting racquet would be comfortable and power-focused.
What should consider when choosing strings?
When it comes to tennis string, you need to lose something to gain something. For instance, if you lower the tension, you will gain power but at the expense of some control. And if you increase the tension, you will have more control and spin potential but will lose the power that the trampoline effect of the strings generates.
For Beginners:
As a beginner, forgiving, soft, and easy-to-play strings will be the ideal choice for you. Because when you are just getting your foot in the door, you want to feel comfortable with what you are doing. Multifilament and synthetic gut would be the ideal choice at this stage. You can try the Head RIP Control Tennis Racket String 40.
For the intermediate and advanced players:
Intermediate to advanced level players wants more control and finesse from their racquet. And as you progress to that level, you can move to more solid strings to have that.
Intermediate to advanced players tends to be ready to sacrifice their comfort to have more control and gain more spin with their mastered techniques. One of the most popular options in this regard is the Solinco Hyper-G Heaven High Spin poly string.
Best Tennis Strings For Tennis Elbow
Tennis elbow is one of the most common injuries of tennis players. The chances of this injury occurring increase if a player plays with uncomfortable strings that are hard on his arm.
This makes the most comfortable tennis strings the best tennis strings for tennis elbow. If you already have tennis elbow or are prone to that injury, then you need strings that are made of flexible materials.
Natural gut and nylon are the two of the best materials in this regard. And if you are looking for a comfortable tennis string for your tennis elbow or want to avoid playing with strings that offer comfort, you can go with the Wilson Natural 16 Tennis and Prince Premier Touch.
FAQs: Best Tennis Rackets Strings
Polyester strings are the most commonly used string by professional tennis players. Nadal uses thick gauge polyester strings due to their ability to deliver more power and topspin compared to other strings.
Yes, it does. For instance, if you want to use your opponent's pace against him, you want to choose tighter strings. On the other hand, if you are a shotmaker and aggressive baseliner, you will need to lower the tension to hit more penetrating shots.
If you are a professional, the best choice would be a hybrid setup that will give all in one: power, control, spin, and comfort.
Tennis strings are made of different materials such as natural gut, polyester, and nylon (multifilament). For beginners to intermediate players, nylon and natural gut strings are the best choices because these materials provide both power and comfort. And for advanced players, the best choice is polyester because it provides more stiffness and control.
Federer is a top professional, and, in his career, he has played with almost the same type of string setup. He uses the Wilson Natural Gut in the mains and Luxilon Alu Power Rough 16L in the crosses to make a hybrid string.
The most durable tennis is polyester, also known as poly. It is the ideal choice for intermediate to advanced level players as they tend to break a lot of strings.
Final Thoughts
The best tennis strings for you depend on a number of things. First, you need to understand what you want from your strings, and then you will be able to point your finger to a specific one.
In this article, we have described almost everything you need to know to choose the best strings for a tennis racquet. And also provides you with the best choices. Enjoy your shots!
Recommended Tennis Guide: Rules Of Tennis Serve and Tennis Net Height
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