How much of a pro's string choice is determined by sponsor?

henrytennisadelaide

henrytennisadelaide

Semi-Pro
Just thinking about it, apart from natural gut, most players (there are many exceptions) in the top 100 are using a string supplied by their racquet sponsor or an affiliate (i.e. Wilson players using Luxilon). I may be totally off but most Yonex sponsored players use YPTP. Most Head players use gut or Head Hawk, I can think of Berrettini as an exception. Some Babolat players use RPM/Rough. Almost all WIlson players using Lux string. Surely this can't be a thing of cost for top 100 guys. Off the top of my head, I can think of Luxilon ALU Power being the most common "stray" string.

Thoughts??
 
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henrytennisadelaide said:
Just thinking about it, apart from natural gut, most players (there are many exceptions) in the top 100 are using a string supplied by their racquet sponsor or an affiliate (i.e. Wilson players using Luxilon). I may be totally off but most Yonex sponsored players use YPTP. Most Head players use gut or Head Hawk, I can think of Berrettini as an exception. Some Babolat players use RPM/Rough. Almost all WIlson players using Lux string. Surely this can't be a thing of cost for top 100 guys. Off the top of my head, I can think of Luxilon ALU Power being the most common "stray" string.

Thoughts??
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I only conclude that strings arent that important to pros. They just use what they are offered. However Stan the man uses Babolat blast strings already during most of his career. Where as some Babolat players dont use Babolat strings but Luxilon instead.
 
ron schaap said:
I only conclude that strings arent that important to pros. They just use what they are offered. However Stan the man uses Babolat blast strings already during most of his career. Where as some Babolat players dont use Babolat strings but Luxilon instead.
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Or is it rather that brands all try to align to have certain similar categories for ease of brand movement for player i.e. spin; Luxilon Rough, Bab RPM, YPTP.

All poly strings are feeling more and more similar, the string industry is feeling like it's at a roadblock, no massive innovation in the last decade. LXN Smart was the closes we've had.
 
henrytennisadelaide said:
Just thinking about it, apart from natural gut, most players (there are many exceptions) in the top 100 are using a string supplied by their racquet sponsor or an affiliate (i.e. Wilson players using Luxilon). I may be totally off but most Yonex sponsored players use YPTP. Most Head players use gut or Head Hawk, I can think of Berrettini as an exception. Some Babolat players use RPM/Rough. Almost all WIlson players using Lux string. Surely this can't be a thing of cost for top 100 guys. Off the top of my head, I can think of Luxilon ALU Power being the most common "stray" string.

Thoughts??
Click to expand...
Novak is using VS and ALU Rough
Don't think any of those have anything to do with Head...

Andy - same: VS and LUX

I've heard that M Zverev was testing/using Yonex string at some point...
 
henrytennisadelaide said:
Or is it rather that brands all try to align to have certain similar categories for ease of brand movement for player i.e. spin; Luxilon Rough, Bab RPM, YPTP.

All poly strings are feeling more and more similar, the string industry is feeling like it's at a roadblock, no massive innovation in the last decade. LXN Smart was the closes we've had.
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I have no real insight into string technology but i would say that Alu is old generation string and a lot more stiffer than Yptp. Of the wellknown players only Raonic and Nishikori do use the softer strings of Luxilon. And possible some nextgens who use more modern strings from their sponsor?
 
ron schaap said:
I have no real insight into string technology but i would say that Alu is old generation string and a lot more stiffer than Yptp. Of the wellknown players only Raonic and Nishikori do use the softer strings of Luxilon. And possible some nextgens who use more modern strings from their sponsor?
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Lux ALU and rough are the best feeling and feedback poly when fresh. Once it "dies", it is dangerous for your arm!
That is why I only use them in a hybrid form
 
Boris Becker once said his racket's main purpose was holding his strings. He placed a great deal of value on strings. I suspect strings do matter. I know since I've found my string combo of choice, I don't even think about it. Sadly, Wilson has seen fit to quit importing TiMO so I have to find a new hybrid.
 
From my experience, racquet sponsors only sponsor racquets and bags. Strings and grips typically aren't mandatory, though they will get them for free. A rep from another company will usually be happy to give free strings and grips though or the player will have to buy/trade themselves (Challenger/Futures). Sometimes a string company will sponsor, and you'll see the string company stencil as well or alone if they are only sponsored for string (again usually for lower level pros). The only time I know a racquet sponsor will dictate strings is Wilson requiring that the strings must accommodate the red stencil.
 
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It depends on what the sponsor wants to advertise. Not all players are offered everything from shoes to frames to clothes to strings. And even if they did have everything, it would still depend on the player accepting it.
 
Agassi used to use Bab VS gut and would buy it himself. I know for a fact because I was sponsored by Babolat and when I called the team manager he said to hold on for a second because he had Agassi on the other line and he was buying a bunch of gut.

I'm not sure why they weren't sending it to him free but I think he could afford it :)
 
Going thru the current top 100 men, id say that about 20% use a string other than their racquet sponsor.

For players using gut, if they'd sponsored by Wilson they'd use Wilson or Luxilon gut; almost every player not using Wilson will be using Babolat gut. For non-Babolat players, they will be buying gut direct from Babolat or from a distributor and that would include Novak, and Murray
 
Rabbit said:
Boris Becker once said his racket's main purpose was holding his strings. He placed a great deal of value on strings. I suspect strings do matter. I know since I've found my string combo of choice, I don't even think about it. Sadly, Wilson has seen fit to quit importing TiMO so I have to find a new hybrid.
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Timo is the best isn't it. I can't get it either. At one point in time I remember Babolat made everyone buy their strings and did not provide "free" to anyone. i believe even Pete Sampras had to purchase his gut. Babolat were quite proud of the fact that their strings were so good pros would purchase theirs over free from others... Im sure this has changed since then.
 
Crisp said:
Timo is the best isn't it. I can't get it either. At one point in time I remember Babolat made everyone buy their strings and did not provide "free" to anyone. i believe even Pete Sampras had to purchase his gut. Babolat were quite proud of the fact that their strings were so good pros would purchase theirs over free from others... Im sure this has changed since then.
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Yeah, I've got enough to last maybe this year, but as OCD as I am I'm already testing other setups. Last weekend, I tried Gosen OGSM 18 mains and Volkl V-Torque Tour 18 crosses: no bueno. This weekend, I've got a stick strung up with Volkl 17 Synthetic Gut mains and Volkl Cyclone 17 crosses. I string that combo (in the other direction) for a lot of players around here and I'm really hoping I like it.

TiMO is indeed the best string I've used.
 
1HBHfanatic said:
@uk_skippy

-are you noticing/seeing any more/less players asking for string stencils, aside from the racquet stencils ??
Click to expand...

If I had to say, it'll be less. We used to do loads of Lux stencils, but there's only a couple of those now. Head seem to be the most 'foregiving' in allowing string logos. Rarely will you see the other brands have string logos on there.
Crisp said:
Timo is the best isn't it. I can't get it either. At one point in time I remember Babolat made everyone buy their strings and did not provide "free" to anyone. i believe even Pete Sampras had to purchase his gut. Babolat were quite proud of the fact that their strings were so good pros would purchase theirs over free from others... Im sure this has changed since then.
Click to expand...

I beleive Pete didnt pay for his as his gut was a specially made 1.22mm gut
 
uk_skippy said:
For non-Babolat players, they will be buying gut direct from Babolat or from a distributor and that would include Novak, and Murray
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I work with a guy who uses VS/Alu hybrid, but is not affiliated with either Babolat or Wilson.
His sponsor pays for all his strings (as part of his contract) in order to preclude those companies from advertising/benefiting from his name.
If Andy and Novak are buying their own strings, their agents aren't doing their jobs.
 
Lefty78 said:
I work with a guy who uses VS/Alu hybrid, but is not affiliated with either Babolat or Wilson.
His sponsor pays for all his strings (as part of his contract) in order to preclude those companies from advertising/benefiting from his name.
If Andy and Novak are buying their own strings, their agents aren't doing their jobs.
Click to expand...

While I have come across this as well, at some point someone is buying the strings for said players. Stan does buy his from Babolat, but at a heavily reduced price.

During the French and Wimbledon, both onsite services sell loads of gut to the players (who arent directly sponsored). And then their are the players who are know not to turn up with string, and have to 'borrow' before finally buying some from the service.
 
Crisp said:
Timo is the best isn't it. I can't get it either. At one point in time I remember Babolat made everyone buy their strings and did not provide "free" to anyone. i believe even Pete Sampras had to purchase his gut. Babolat were quite proud of the fact that their strings were so good pros would purchase theirs over free from others... Im sure this has changed since then.
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I don’t think it’s true that Babolat didn’t sponsor anyone “back in the day.” Legally, how else would Babolat have been allowed to list players’ names on the gut packaging, if the players whose names were listed weren’t compensated? And why would touring pros including Sampras have had the Babolat double line stencil applied, if they weren’t receiving compensation?
 
Bryans use Solinco strings in their Babolat racquets. But I'm not sure they are sponsored by Babolat, anyway when they were still under the contract with Prince they had Solinco's stencil too.
 
Antónis said:
Isn't Wilson gut made by Babolat? At least I have an ideia I read this somewhere
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used to be made by Babolat
now probably made at the same facility in Ireland (NI or ROI, I cannot remember) that is said to be making natural gut string for Luxilon (yes, I know that Luxilon and Wilson natural gut are labeled as Made in Belgium). I do not know any of this for a fact - but remember that labeling does not always tell the whole story. Labeling laws can be pretty permissive, thanks to the murky and subjective nature of things such as the idea of where the value is added to the final product.
 
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Just like so many things, though, does most people’s desire for VS Team 1.22 come from Sampras having used it? And the fact that it can’t be acquired through normal channels? If Sampras hadn’t used it, and if it were available through normal channels, would anyone really care much more about it than they would otherwise?
 
Antónis said:
Isn't Wilson gut made by Babolat? At least I have an ideia I read this somewhere
Click to expand...

kkm said:
used to be made by Babolat
now probably made at the same facility in Ireland (NI or ROI, I cannot remember) that is said to be making natural gut string for Luxilon (yes, I know that Luxilon and Wilson natural gut are labeled as Made in Belgium). I do not know any of this for a fact - but remember that labeling does not always tell the whole story. Labeling laws can be pretty permissive, thanks to the murky and subjective nature of things such as the idea of where the value is added to the final product.
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Agreed. The source of the gut is from Ireland, ROI I beleive. But as you've said labeling is a bit murky. I'm guessing the final stage is completed in Belgium. Its a bit like having all the parts of a washing machine made in various countries, but assembled in 1 country to give a selling point of 'Made in XXXX'

Personally, I beleive Babolat are still making gut for Wilson, but only for their sponsored players. Basis for this is that we're still seeing plenty of 'white' packaged Wilson gut for their players such as Williams sisters, Nishikori, even Fed. So either their was a ton load made, or its still in production. I even had to tell a player the difference when they turned up with red packaged gut instead of their usual white.

kkm said:
Just like so many things, though, does most people’s desire for VS Team 1.22 come from Sampras having used it? And the fact that it can’t be acquired through normal channels? If Sampras hadn’t used it, and if it were available through normal channels, would anyone really care much more about it than they would otherwise?
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Yes, i can agree with that. And as for your post re: Babolat still making it, they may make a limited run; but that picture has packaging with the old Babolat logo on it. Given it also has the RG logo on it, it would have be from 2010 to 2012. 2013 is when the new logo came into effect. (Retired) Players are known for having supplies of old gut.
 
uk_skippy said:
Agreed. The source of the gut is from Ireland, ROI I beleive. But as you've said labeling is a bit murky. I'm guessing the final stage is completed in Belgium. Its a bit like having all the parts of a washing machine made in various countries, but assembled in 1 country to give a selling point of 'Made in XXXX'

Personally, I beleive Babolat are still making gut for Wilson, but only for their sponsored players. Basis for this is that we're still seeing plenty of 'white' packaged Wilson gut for their players such as Williams sisters, Nishikori, even Fed. So either their was a ton load made, or its still in production. I even had to tell a player the difference when they turned up with red packaged gut instead of their usual white.


Yes, i can agree with that. And as for your post re: Babolat still making it, they may make a limited run; but that picture has packaging with the old Babolat logo on it. Given it also has the RG logo on it, it would have be from 2010 to 2012. 2013 is when the new logo came into effect. (Retired) Players are known for having supplies of old gut.
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I’m taking a wild guess that there was a ton of natural gut made by Babolat for Wilson. Reminds me of a few years ago when Prince discontinued their Babolat-made natural gut which they had offered at retail, but continued supplying it to sponsored players. I don’t think that even sponsored players get it from Prince any longer.
Yeah, the Babolat natural gut Bartoli was having Laurent string her racquets with probably is from a while back. The packaging changed yet again last year, to that mostly black theme. For sure Bartoli has a nice stash of “old” natural gut, as others such as McEnroe and Hingis do. But I imagine that Babolat would, for the right player, make 1.22 even today.
 
kkm said:
I’m taking a wild guess that there was a ton of natural gut made by Babolat for Wilson. Reminds me of a few years ago when Prince discontinued their Babolat-made natural gut which they had offered at retail, but continued supplying it to sponsored players. I don’t think that even sponsored players get it from Prince any longer.
Yeah, the Babolat natural gut Bartoli was having Laurent string her racquets with probably is from a while back. The packaging changed yet again last year, to that mostly black theme. For sure Bartoli has a nice stash of “old” natural gut, as others such as McEnroe and Hingis do. But I imagine that Babolat would, for the right player, make 1.22 even today.
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I'm more of the line that its still be made for Wilson since the amount being used would mean that there needs to be a continuous supply. I cant see Babolat producing such a high quantity of gut for Wilson to stock pile, at the expense of keeping their own stock levels high. I've tried to get a definitive answer on this, but no-one is helping.

The amount of 'old' gut that keeps popping up is amazing. Lindsey Davenport would also pop up old, blue packaged Wilson gut.
 
-question, (for anyone that might know!!!),, how many reels of string do players take with them for a single tournament??
-assuming, a reel of string can do about 16 full rakets!!
-assuming, a player takes 8 rakets for everyday play and practice
-assuming, a player that makes it into the quarters of a major, the PRO will play about 4x!!: rd64, rd32, rd16, quarters
 
1HBHfanatic said:
-question, (for anyone that might know!!!),, how many reels of string do players take with them for a single tournament??
-assuming, a reel of string can do about 16 full rakets!!
-assuming, a player takes 8 rakets for everyday play and practice
-assuming, a player that makes it into the quarters of a major, the PRO will play about 4x!!: rd64, rd32, rd16, quarters
Click to expand...

At the Challenger level, most players will get 1 or 2 racquets strung per day, dropped off after play/practice and picked up before their match. They usually have 1 reel with us which sometimes runs out so I'd say 2, possibly 3. I imagine its different at the bigger tournaments, probably more string jobs per player.
 
@[d]ragon

-yeah, that is what i would expect at minor tournaments, 1-2 reels
-but at majors!!??,
-i heard federer say he at times carries 10-12 into 5 setters, thats almost 1 reel per match using that racket scenario
 
1HBHfanatic said:
-question, (for anyone that might know!!!),, how many reels of string do players take with them for a single tournament??
-assuming, a reel of string can do about 16 full rakets!!
-assuming, a player takes 8 rakets for everyday play and practice
-assuming, a player that makes it into the quarters of a major, the PRO will play about 4x!!: rd64, rd32, rd16, quarters
Click to expand...

That is assuming they are stringing full bed because obviously, if stringing a hybrid then will go through strings at 0.5x the rate of full bed.
 
1HBHfanatic said:
@[d]ragon

-yeah, that is what i would expect at minor tournaments, 1-2 reels
-but at majors!!??,
-i heard federer say he at times carries 10-12 into 5 setters, thats almost 1 reel per match using that racket scenario
Click to expand...

He hybrids ALU Rough and NG so would go through roughly half a reel per match. I.e. carrying 5 racquets of full bed ALU = 10 racquets of hybrid ALU.
 
Remember Dominic Thiem won his first master 1000 within Head Unreleased strings when he is a Babolat sponsored player?


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Russell Jiang said:
Remember Dominic Thiem won his first master 1000 within Head Unreleased strings when he is a Babolat sponsored player?
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Click to expand...

He was experimenting with a whole bunch of stuff then as well. He also wouldn't be bound by his contract and would have more flexibility due to his high ranking and prizemoney
 
henrytennisadelaide said:
He was experimenting with a whole bunch of stuff then as well. He also wouldn't be bound by his contract and would have more flexibility due to his high ranking and prizemoney
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He was experimenting with different strings and set ups but most of them are still Babolat (RPM blast/VS to RPM rough/vs to full bed Rpm rough) Having an unreleased string from Head and played well with it to win a master 1000 is still crazy to hear (which unlike Solinco or Signum, Head is one of the major big name competitors of Babolat)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Russell Jiang said:
He was experimenting with different strings and set ups but most of them are still Babolat (RPM blast/VS to RPM rough/vs to full bed Rpm rough) Having an unreleased string from Head and played well with it to win a master 1000 is still crazy to hear (which unlike Solinco or Signum, Head is one of the major big name competitors of Babolat)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Yes, agreed. Even more puzzling when he then switched to RPM Power. Although making the final of a GS (and should've won it) is pretty bloody good
 
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