Strings (tennis)

In order to play with a tennis racket tennis, it must be covered with a tennis string.

There are a wide variety of tennis strings that differ in their playing characteristics. Important properties are the elasticity of the ball speed, the vibration damping for playing comfort, the adhesion to the control of the spin ( spin, topspin ) and a long shelf life. Although you can change a number of physical properties of a string in the manufacture of strings (material, structure, diameter, color, surface, etc. ) and thus may also affect the playability, there is in all Tennis Strings certain fundamental differences, which are explained in more detail below.

One can divide tennis strings into two major types: natural gut and synthetic strings.

Natural Gut Strings

Natural gut strings are produced in a complex process of Kuhdärmen. They are distinguished by unsurpassed elasticity, tension stability and " liveliness " of. But they are very expensive and sensitive to weather, although gut strings have been greatly improved in recent years in this regard. Many professionals prefer natural gut, but for normal club players are gut strings due to the high price hardly worthwhile. Good gut strings are not available at 25 EUR per set.

Synthetic strings

Artificial or synthetic strings are mostly high - tech products, which are constantly being developed to the align their playability of natural gut strings, keep the advantage of production. The synthetic strings, there are a variety of different structures and materials. The main types are described below:

Nylon strings

The String type most commonly used. Nylon strings are among the least expensive tennis strings and usually consist of a monofilament ( single strand ) nylon core and various resistant sheathing. Nylon ( polyamide) is due to the good dynamic properties very well suited for use in tennis strings. The many different types of construction ( nature and type of winding of the surrounding fibers ) influence the string's properties significantly. In general, nylon strings can be viewed as a high quality multi- sheaths. The coating may reduce the voltage loss experienced with nylon strings a bit. Nylon strings are for players with normal or high string consumption.

Polyester strings

Polyester strings have a fairly simple structure: They consist of a single polyester fiber and a thin coating. This design is called " monofilament ". They are available in different thicknesses ( diameter 1.10 to 1.35 mm), which you can pick the playing characteristics. Polyester strings are not very elastic and feel compared to nylon or multifilament strings to relatively rigid, but have for a far better life, so that for thinner gauges can be used. Pure polyester strings have a significant disadvantage: the voltage is not held long, the control decreases and the string feels after a short season "dead" on. Therefore polyester strings are recommended only for players with string breakers. For these players, polyester strings offer (in short " polys " ) also good value for money.

The producers operated to develop monofilament strings with improved properties and eliminate the weaknesses ( lack of elasticity and tension stability ) is an increasing effort. The strings are added a variety of additives such as PEEK, carbon fibers, and metals, in order to modify the playing characteristics. Today, virtually every vendor has such co-poly strings on offer.

There is also the possibility the playing characteristics of polyester strings by additional heating processes influence. Polyester strings are controlled by the second heating process, while simultaneously drawing in rigidity and elasticity.

Titanium strings

In the course of the titanium boom in tennis rackets, there were soon a wave of titanium strings. Based on nylon or multifilament string, the titanium, either externally applied to the string in order to protect the material from abrasion and UV radiation, or incorporated in the fibers in order to modify the playing characteristics.

Multifilament strings

In order to come as close as possible to the gut in the game properties, you twisted these strings many thin single fibers ( microfilaments ), which can be made of various materials to a string and sheathed these nor with a resistant material. Advantage: higher elasticity and playability, but such strings fibers quickly and therefore do not last long. In addition, these strings are not cheap due to the complicated production. The biggest advantage of these strings is the high comfort, and arm problems should not save at the wrong end one.

Structured strings

String with a textured surface to allow the player more spin by better grip to the ball. In fact, the most structured strings offer a great spin and associated with excellent control, but this structure plays quickly, and also they do not just helps the string to more durability.

Hybrid Strings

This is a combination of two different strings of which a longitudinal, the other is used for the cross strings for. Since a uniform covering mainly the longitudinal string breaks because they more moves and on the cross string " broken rubs " are used in hybrid strings usually a durable string in the mains (eg polyester or Aramid / Kevlar / Technora ). As a cross string is used as compensation a very elastic synthetic string or even natural gut. The game features such hybrid fabrics are good, and the durability of a poly / multi hybrid string is often larger than that of a pure poly - covering.

The possible combinations for hybrid strings are almost infinite. Because you can create highly customized combinations with hybrid strings to hybrid stringing delight especially in Selbstbesaitern gaining in popularity. But there are also compiled by the manufacturers and sold in set hybrid strings.

Saitenstärke

Besides the material, the string thickness is crucial for the properties of a tennis string. Generally has a string, the thinner it is, better playability with decreasing durability. Often one and the same string model is available in different thicknesses. Are usual string diameter between 1.1 and 1.4 mm. Especially in the U.S., measured in gauge. The following table shows the conversion of gauge in mm.

Packaging

Tennis Strings are usually as single sets of 12 meters (enough for stringing a racket ) or cheaper on rolls of 100 or 200 meters available.