Jack Sock Low Tension Nat Gut.. Can Someone Explain?

[GetSchwifty]

So I’ve not only heard the talk about low tension poly for years, I’ve tried the full range of everything from 35 - 62 lbs. and have definitely found success and good feel at low to mid 40s

But in every. Single. One of these low tension threads, the stipulation is: the stringbed MUST be full poly for these low tensions to work.

Yet after seeing in a few threads around the forum, that Jack Sock has switched recently to Nat Gut mains at around 36-38lbs., with the same poly crosses, I was floored.

Searched, but haven’t found a thread addressing specifically this.

Rather mystified, can someone enlighten me as to how this works for him but literally nobody else?

And yes I know he’s a pro and yes I know that he has insane RHS, but still.

 

[ron schaap]

Maybe he s on something?
Anyhow his Aero storm frame is low powered so having gut in the crosses makes it more powerfull.

 

[GetSchwifty]

Mm what shocked me was that I read it was Gut in the mains, not the crosses.

Maybe I’m wrong, but I seem to remember reading a thread in which a stringer had posted verification of Gut mains at around 38lbs or something. I should probably go find that before I make the claim haha, but I’m pretty sure

Edit: okay didn’t see photo verification, but several posts indicate that right here

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/jack-sock-string.593532/

Even if he went back to full poly, seems there was a period in which he could play at the top level with Gut mains at 36lbs. Insane right? Surprised that hasn’t got more attention from people

 

[Big Bagel]

Sock is still full poly in the 30s.

Nestor, on the other hand, has been as low as 18/16 in a gut/poly hybrid. It's possible, just not advised, to go low without full poly. Nestor is ridiculously low though, I wouldn't recommend that for anybody.

 

[Dartagnan64]

It's a doubles setup where feel and ball pocketing are prized. Low tensions are excellent when 90% of your shots are flat.

 

[GetSchwifty]

Oh, somehow didn’t think about the doubles. Yeah that makes more sense

 

[ashridge]

It's a doubles setup where feel and ball pocketing are prized. Low tensions are excellent when 90% of your shots are flat.

I've done a lot of experimenting with low tension (sensitive elbow) in Gut/Poly and full Poly set-ups, and have found the ball very hard to control when hitting flat shots. Hitting with a lot of topspin, though, is another thing entirely, much better control for me. I get best control at low tension with full Poly, but still pretty good with Gut/Poly, trying to find that tension "sweet spot" where I get the added comfort of the Gut mains but still close to the control of full poly. I currently have a leaded up Prince Phantom Pro 100 with Gut/Poly at 40x25, and don't have as much control as I'd like. I also have a Prince Phantom Pro 100p with Gut/Poly at 45x30 and have better control with it, though still not quite as much as I'd like. Thinking of cutting out the poly crosses and re-stringing fresh at about 8 lbs. higher to see what that does.

 

[GetSchwifty]

^ nice points. And yeah I guess my point is. Low tension gut may be acceptable to a certain extent. But Jack Sock has to be one of the history makers that would ever use 35lb gut, doubles or not

And gut has been around since the dawn of tennis.. surprised Sock’s tension didn’t get more attention

 

[gino]

So I’ve not only heard the talk about low tension poly for years, I’ve tried the full range of everything from 35 - 62 lbs. and have definitely found success and good feel at low to mid 40s

But in every. Single. One of these low tension threads, the stipulation is: the stringbed MUST be full poly for these low tensions to work.

Yet after seeing in a few threads around the forum, that Jack Sock has switched recently to Nat Gut mains at around 36-38lbs., with the same poly crosses, I was floored.

Searched, but haven’t found a thread addressing specifically this.

Rather mystified, can someone enlighten me as to how this works for him but literally nobody else?

And yes I know he’s a pro and yes I know that he has insane RHS, but still.

does it work for him? great doubles results this year

7-20 this year in singles

 

[ron schaap]

^ nice points. And yeah I guess my point is. Low tension gut may be acceptable to a certain extent. But Jack Sock has to be one of the history makers that would ever use 35lb gut, doubles or not

And gut has been around since the dawn of tennis.. surprised Sock’s tension didn’t get more attention

No, Mecir a top 10 player of about 30 years ago, already used gut at these low tensions. He is regarded as one of the strangest players. Check the discussion on this board. Mecir seemed to use the pace of his opponents balls and hit very flat. Quite the opposite of Sock.

 

[2ndServe]

Found the launch angle to be very unpredicatble with that low a tension but it varies a lot with racket type. On an 18x20 low tension can be predictable.

 

[SavvyStringer]

I can't imagine sock switching with the shape of his swing and getting anything good from gut. His racket path is the prototype for getting max benefit out of poly. As for low tensions and trampoline effect it's weird how that works. Based on personal experience, I would say that lower tensions in some multi/syngut strings seem to take power from the string as counter intuitive as that is. I can't say for gut. I've been tempted to try it, but a half set of gut is a bit costly to experiment with. Personally in my hybrid of tourbite and vanquish I feel like I have more power when it's strung at 50 than at 40.

 

[GN-001]

nishikori strings gut/poly at 39lb too. They both have a pretty extreme grip on that forehand. I definitely find gut/poly at low tension (40) is hard to control for flat shots but topspin shots work well.

 

[speedysteve]

Is he playing this in Paris?
If so it's working!

I need to watch a replay of just how he beat Gasquet!!!

 

[Kozzy]

He said on Tennis Channel today that he dropped his tension back down to what it had been last year, and feels much better. We'll see. He said he upped the tension at the Australian open and for some reason just stuck with it, he's not sure why, and then recently saw some stats about how his mph and spin rates had dropped since he made the change. I found that kind of interesting.

 

[SavvyStringer]

He said on Tennis Channel today that he dropped his tension back down to what it had been last year, and feels much better. We'll see. He said he upped the tension at the Australian open and for some reason just stuck with it, he's not sure why, and then recently saw some stats about how his mph and spin rates had dropped since he made the change. I found that kind of interesting.

Sort of... I've found personally, as I drop tension with full poly I have to intentionally add more shape to my strokes to get the ball to drop. I'm sure someone will explain it from a launch angle/ string bed deflection but I'm not that technical. I just go by what I feel when I play.

 

[MRfStop]

Sock is still full poly in the 30s.

Nestor, on the other hand, has been as low as 18/16 in a gut/poly hybrid. It's possible, just not advised, to go low without full poly. Nestor is ridiculously low though, I wouldn't recommend that for anybody.

Nestor was at 12 lbs in the mains and 13 in the crosses earlier this year

 

[SpinToWin]

Nestor was at 12 lbs in the mains and 13 in the crosses earlier this year

In other news, Nestor has (gently) hand strung racquets lol

 

[speedysteve]

Nestor was at 12 lbs in the mains and 13 in the crosses earlier this year

Was that Nestor the Greek, grandson of Poseidon?
Reckon the ancient Greeks would have been into low tension hand pull stringing

 

[MRfStop]

In other news, Nestor has (gently) hand strung racquets lol

This is how I imagine 12lbs feeling like

 

[speedysteve]

This is how I imagine 12lbs feeling like

Lol

Being a practical chap, and a stringer I see it more like a lacrosse stick

 

[Smittithekitty]

I second on Nester... amazing low gut tension drove us crazy

 

[PBODY99]

@Smiththekitty
What was the problem with installing the gut at under 20 pounds ?
Thank you.

 

[Smittithekitty]

@Smiththekitty
What was the problem with installing the gut at under 20 pounds ?
Thank you.

Straightening the strings not the tension issues haha