Contributing Factors of String Performance
What is the Top Factor in Tennis Player Performance?
Strings are the #1 contributor to player performance, but we have so many more combinations of materials and designs these days that it can be hard to “tell the players without a program”. So, I have compiled a list of performance factors and how I feel strings can add or detract from them.
I understand the player has a lot to do with everything, so consider this list to be correct “all other things being equal”.
Top Contributing Factors for String Power:
- Stiffness: Lower stiffness provides more power
- Elongation: Higher elongation provides more power
- Material: Natural gut and Zyex provide more power, followed by nylon. Polyester and Kevlar provide less power
- Design: Multifilament construction provides more power than solid core w/ wraps. Monofilament construction tends to provide less power.
Top Contributing Factors for String Control:
- Stiffness: Higher stiffness provides more control
- Elongation: Lower elongation provides more control
- Material: Stiffer materials (polyester and Kevlar) provide more control
- Design: Monofilament construction provides more control than solid core w/ wraps. Multifilament construction provides less control
Top Contributing Factors for String Spin:
- Stiffness: Higher stiffness provides more spin potential
- Elongation: Lower elongation provides more spin potential
- Material: Polyester provides the most spin potential.
- Design: Monofilament construction provides the most spin potential. Shaped/rough strings provide more spin potential.
Top Contributing Factors for String Comfort:
- Stiffness: Lower stiffness provides more comfort
- Elongation: Higher elongation provides more comfort
- Material: Natural gut and Zyex provide more comfort than nylon. Polyester and Kevlar provide the least comfort.
- Design: Multifilament construction provides more comfort than solid core w/ wraps. Monofilament construction provides less comfort.
If you’re a racquet technician and would like to join a community of like-minded people please visit our Membership page at www.gssalliance.com/join/ to join us. Already a basic member? You’ll find an easy upgrade link on the join page to become a Premium member.
IART Premium Members have FULL access to all content and exclusive membership directories. Knowledge is power, so become a Premium member and get THAT power!
Comments (4)
I like how you’ve categorized these attributes of string, and I’d agree with all of them except the never ending argument about poly increasing spin. In my opinion, spin is created by racket head speed and friction or bite between the string and the ball. I agree that a person can probably get more spin using poly, but only because he/she can swing the racket harder to get more racket head speed. Plus, many polyester strings are shaped. But, by measuring them with “all things being equal”, you must assume racket head speed, shape of string, string diameter, etc (everything except your variable–stiffness, elongation, material) are the same. So, “all things being equal”, I think a softer string will give you more ball/string friction (as the strings will indent more, stretch more, giving you more mm’s of contact). They will give you more dwell time (giving you more milliseconds of contact). On a really hard swing, some studies showed that the ball will flatten out more against a stiffer string bed, thereby giving you more contact area and time, but for most shots, that’s not the case. At least that’s not the case with lower level players, which leads to another point. Maybe that’s why lower level players don’t really benefit from poly, while pros and college players and high level hard hitters do benefit from it. Maybe the spin category should be left out until you’re able to see the person play.
Steve, I think you’ll also see that I noted poly strings offer more spin POTENTIAL, not just “more spin”. You have to take the player into consideration on this and, if you have a fast-swinging player with the proper grip, they can benefit from these strings.
Poly strings have the ability to increase spin rate if you can swing as you need to. If you have a player who can do so, you should have him/her give them a try because of that. I agree with your point; maybe I didn’t articulate mine well enough.
Yes. I think we know the same thing–that certain strings perform best for certain players. I guess that’s why when I get a new customer, they may feel “why the hundred questions?”, which I’m sure as a professional stringer, you ask them lots of questions too.