Serena changed strings in April

[sureshs]

A secret fact known only to me and all those who watched the commentary on ESPN: In April, Serena switched from full gut to gut-poly hybrid as per Cahill (I think it was him, not 100% certain)

[John Kawasaki]

gut mains (16g)from 64 to 66 lbs (depending) with prestretch and 4G (16g)crosses 2 lbs less

[drakulie]

she switched because she was told by wilson that Federer was using the new 4g. (true story). Even Serena and Venus are *******s.

[sureshs]

You a professional stringer, John?

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by drakulie

she switched because she was told by wilson that Federer was using the new 4g. (true story). Even Serena and Venus are *******s.

Is he?

Also, why did she not go to hybrid when Fed was using it all along? Was she led to believe that 4G was a huge quantum leap or something?

[drakulie]

Originally Posted by sureshs

Is he?

Also, why did she not go to hybrid when Fed was using it all along? Was she led to believe that 4G was a huge quantum leap or something?

Fed continues to use gut mains alu rough crosses. From listening to the story in the stringing room, she was lead to believe he would be using it. LOL

[sureshs]

Next she will be playing with a 90

[drakulie]

^^^LOL.

On a side note, it is amazing how lots of pros are *******s,,,, wanting to know what string he uses, tension, and asking if they could swing his frame around. So, it's not just the posters on TW.

[フェデラー]

Originally Posted by drakulie

^^^LOL.

On a side note, it is amazing how lots of pros are *******s,,,, wanting to know what string he uses, tension, and asking if they could swing his frame around. So, it's not just the posters on TW.

I definitely think Serena has been trying not to be a ****. Like on the Wimby final she said she was pulling for Murray and what not... But anyway, the switch to 4G got her two slams and a gold medal, so it was a good idea. Can't wait to try 4G myself.

[syke]

Originally Posted by sureshs

You a professional stringer, John?

Yep Drak is... John? Never heard of him.

[syke]

Originally Posted by drakulie

^^^LOL.

On a side note, it is amazing how lots of pros are *******s,,,, wanting to know what string he uses, tension, and asking if they could swing his frame around. So, it's not just the posters on TW.

We need a video of this!

I want to see Nadal taking a swing with Fed's racquet...

[Cup8489]

Originally Posted by フェデラー

I definitely think Serena has been trying not to be a ****. Like on the Wimby final she said she was pulling for Murray and what not... But anyway, the switch to 4G got her two slams and a gold medal, so it was a good idea. Can't wait to try 4G myself.

Not a game changing string.

i knew about this from twitter before you did.

[Jeepers]

Serena changed to the gut/poly string to increase durability. Too many times in a match had her string broken meaning she had to go to the bathroom to put on some new underwear

[NLBwell]

I have always thought the Williams played with rackets that had too much power and were uncontrollable, thus leading to too many unforced errors. Large head rackets with Powerholes and gut aren't good for consistency. She went to a tighter string pattern a few years ago, and going to the stiffer stringbed with a poly hybrid probably leads to more accuracy and less unforced errors. If Serena had only one or two more unforced errors, she might have lost the US Open final, so it probably did make a difference.

[BreakPoint]

Originally Posted by drakulie

^^^LOL.

On a side note, it is amazing how lots of pros are *******s,,,, wanting to know what string he uses, tension, and asking if they could swing his frame around. So, it's not just the posters on TW.

Not all that surprising. When someone has been as successful as Federer, everyone wants to know what the "secret" to his success is.

[realplayer]

Originally Posted by NLBwell

I have always thought the Williams played with rackets that had too much power and were uncontrollable, thus leading to too many unforced errors. Large head rackets with Powerholes and gut aren't good for consistency. She went to a tighter string pattern a few years ago, and going to the stiffer stringbed with a poly hybrid probably leads to more accuracy and less unforced errors. If Serena had only one or two more unforced errors, she might have lost the US Open final, so it probably did make a difference.

She was leading her head to head 7-1 and beat her up quite often and very badly. With the new strings she does the same. I don't see any difference.

[realplayer]

Originally Posted by drakulie

she switched because she was told by wilson that Federer was using the new 4g. (true story). Even Serena and Venus are *******s.

That might be but here is another story about why she swithched to 4G

NEW YORK -- Serena Williams has been many things throughout her career, but conventional is not one of them.

[+] Enlarge
Timothy Clary/AFP/GettyImages
Serena Williams has changed some aspects of her game.
She has dipped in and out of the game, scooping up Grand Slams in between dealing with injuries, designing dresses, pursuing acting roles, doing manicures and hawking products on the Home Shopping Network.

Now, at 30, Williams is playing as well as ever -- maybe better than ever. And she's doing it in a way that's very unconventional, for her -- by being conventional.

Perhaps her biggest -- and quietest -- concession to prevailing norms has been a switch from natural gut to hybrid strings. Serena and older sister Venus were almost the last players left on tour to still play only with traditional gut -- the just-retired Kim Clijsters was another -- but both Williamses have now made the move to using a combination of gut and polyester strings.

Serena began to try various types after Miami this March, where she lost in the quarterfinals, and debuted her new strings in Charleston in April.

"Obviously she likes it -- she's lost only two matches with that string," said Serena's hitting partner, Sasha Bajin.

The 14-time Grand Slam champ had previously been wary of making such a move, so Bajin was surprised, but pleased, when she first communicated the idea to him.

"I've been suggesting it to her for a while to just go try it but to be honest, she played so great with the natural gut before, it's kind of hard because it's a big step for a player, to switch a racket or switch strings," he said. "I don't know, from one day [to] the other, she was, 'Hey, you know what I want to try this,' and she bought strings."

Her equipment reps supplied her with various types to experiment with, including the angled-edge variety which is supposed to help players create more spin, which she didn't like.

"The string itself is a little bit rough on the outside, so she kind of didn't like that," Bajin said. "Finally, she found one that she does like."

Serena settled on a combination with Wilson natural gut in the mains (the strings which go from the top to the bottom of the racket) and Luxilon 4G in the crosses (the horizontal strings).

[drakulie]

^^yeah, I read that article. Ironically, Sasha is the one who gave us the heads up about her using the 4g, and how Wilson told her Fed was using it. He looked baffled when we showed him Federer's racquet strung with Gut/Alu rough, and puzzling said, "They lied to Serena". (meaning wilson)

[Rabbit]

^^^
problem is, the reps for Wilson probably didn't know!