| There are so many different tennis rackets to choose | | | | of it's functionality in its other properties. |
| from these days, so how do you know what is best | | | | Now you've picked what kind of string you want, you |
| for you. There are tennis rackets designed for power | | | | need to decide on the gauge. String gauge begins at 15 |
| and some for finesse. Each company has | | | | and goes to 19 with 15 being the thickest and 19 being |
| incorporated different technology into their rackets, | | | | the thinnest string. With thinner string, the string digs into |
| Head uses flexpoint and liquidmetal technology in | | | | the ball allowing for more spin and more control. The |
| several of their rackets. Wilson uses the nCode | | | | thicker string is much more durable but you lose some |
| technology in their rackets and every other company | | | | of the other qualities. There are also half sizes which |
| has their own theories of what is best in a racket. | | | | are marked with an L for light. For example 15L is |
| These are all great but what about the string. String is | | | | thinner than 15 but it is thicker than 16 gauge string. |
| just as important in the performance of a racket as | | | | Tension of the string is also very important to the |
| the racket itself. The type and gauge of the string as | | | | playability of a string. If you increase the tension of the |
| well as the tension of the string will all effect how the | | | | string you will increase the control and your spin |
| racket will perform. There are also different stringing | | | | capabilities. The tighter the string the more it will dig into |
| patterns which will effect how the racket reacts to the | | | | the ball giving you more accuracy. When you |
| ball. You can turn a high quality racket into a useless | | | | decrease the tension of the string it in turn will increase |
| piece of equipment if your string isn't set properly for | | | | your power and give you a larger sweet spot. One |
| you. The perfect racket just isn't enough. | | | | other benefit of having less tension is that it doesn't |
| The options of string are almost endless. The first and | | | | send as much shock and vibration into your hand and |
| most basic choice to make is natural gut or synthetic. | | | | elbow which can reduce your chance of arm injury. |
| Natural gut has been far superior in quality but | | | | When choosing string you have to put all of the pieces |
| synthetic has drastically improved over the years. It | | | | together. If you are buying a string that is composed of |
| seems that natural gut still has a slight advantage on | | | | stronger more durable material you may decide to go |
| performance over synthetic however it is costly and | | | | with a higher gauge string. Likewise, a string that is |
| not nearly as durable. Natural Gut seems to break | | | | naturally stiffer may not need as much tension to give |
| down in moisture and humid conditions. Gut string will | | | | the same reaction. With tension you also have to |
| perform optimally for longer than synthetic string, | | | | consider the racket that you are using. Each racket |
| however gut string has to be replaced more frequently | | | | has a recommended tension range which varies |
| than synthetic. That being said, there are many | | | | racket to racket. The best suggestion for adjusting |
| different designs and technologies utilized with | | | | your tension on a new racket is to start in the mid |
| synthetic strings. You can get the synthetic string with | | | | range of the recommended tension and adjust |
| a solid core, with multifilament construction or with | | | | accordingly. |
| textured surfaces. There are also hybrid sets like the | | | | When you are looking to purchase a new racket, don't |
| synthetic aramid hybrid set, synthetic polyester and | | | | spend six months demoing rackets and then pick the |
| polyester hybrid string sets which all have there unique | | | | first string you see. This is like buying a high |
| features and advantages. The key properties that you | | | | performance sports car and sticking cheap tires on it. |
| want to look for in tennis string are power, control, | | | | Just like cheap tires will decrease the potential of the |
| vibration damping and durability. The problem is you | | | | car, so the wrong string will greatly decrease the |
| can't have it all. A string has specific qualities that when | | | | potential of the racket. |
| altered to enhance another property it will lose some | | | | |