Top Tennis Strings

Tennis string types, side by side

Five families cover almost every string on the wall. Here is how they usually compare and who each one tends to suit.

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Family	What it is	Tends to suit	Watch for
PolyesterFirm, controlled	A single solid strand (monofilament) of polyester-based material. Most modern ones are co-polymers.	Full, fast swings and players who break softer strings.	Stiffer on the arm. Loses tension and goes dead before it snaps.
MultifilamentSoft, lively	Many fine fibers bundled and coated, built to feel closer to natural gut.	Sore arms, juniors, compact swings, players who want easy depth.	Frays and notches. Can break sooner under heavy topspin.
Synthetic gutMiddle of the road	Usually a solid nylon core with outer wraps.	Beginners, tight budgets, team racket batches.	Less comfort than a good multi. Pick on price and availability.
Natural gutSoftest, priciest	Made from animal intestine. The original tennis string.	Players who want maximum comfort and feel and accept the cost.	Price, and it does not like moisture.
HybridTwo strings	One string in the mains, a different one in the crosses.	Players who want poly bite with a softer bed, or longer life from a multi.	Two half sets to buy. Label which goes where.

How they usually compare

General tendencies, not lab numbers. Brands and models inside each family vary a lot.

Family	Power	Comfort	Durability	Holds playability
Polyester	Lower	Lower	High	Fades early
Multifilament	Higher	High	Lower	Moderate
Synthetic gut	Medium	Medium	Medium	Moderate
Natural gut	High	Highest	Lower	Good
Hybrid	Depends on the two strings. Poly mains with soft crosses usually land between poly and multi.

Amazon buttons are affiliate links. Check the Amazon page for current price, size and stock.

Polyester set, 1.25 mm, per the Amazon listing.

A firm, low-power poly for full swings. Not a sore-arm string. Our notes

Multifilament set, 17 gauge, per the Amazon listing.

A soft multi many juniors and comfort-first adults start with. Our notes

Nylon synthetic gut, 16 gauge, per the Amazon listing.

A budget all-rounder for beginners and team rackets. Our notes

We do not link a natural gut set right now. See natural gut for what to play instead, and Diadem for strings we sell direct.

Is co-poly different from poly?

Nearly every modern polyester string is a co-polymer. Brands use the word for softer or rounder versions, so feel matters more than the label.

Which family should a beginner start with?

A synthetic gut or a soft multifilament, strung mid-range. Polyester rarely helps a beginner and is harder on the arm.

Can I mix two families?

Yes, that is a hybrid. The common one is poly in the mains and a multi or syn gut in the crosses. See hybrid setups.