Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
I'm curious as to which strings TW players are using these days.
Round vs Shaped Poly
- Thread starter Klatu Verata Necktie
- Start date
Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
So here's the why: I tried playing with a shaped poly, the Solinco Hyper G, and found that it produced so much spin that my shots sat up too much for my opponents. With the round, I can impart heavy spin if I conciously make an effort to do so, but my standard motion will produce safe, spinny shots that cut through the court.
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
this is exactly what happens
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
Always best to play with the most consistent setup that works for you and your stroke characteristics
My personal experiences are
Tight 18x20 Patterns : 5-6 sided Shaped Main 17-18g x Round Cross at low tension, need shaped mains to constantly clear net under pressure
Standard 16x19s : Round Full Bed 16L-17g at medium tension, need round at slightly higher tension to not fly slightly due to launch angle again under pressure.
Openish 18x20 + Tightish 16x19s : it depends but both ideas from above can be made to work for me.
jimdontcare
Rookie
I'm surprised that round is as high in the poll as it is right now, but there does seem to be an overall trend away from the spin obsession tennis gear had for nearly a decade. I play with a lot of spin for my level, but I prefer to have a racquet that allows me to use spin-friendly motion and string that just has a consistent, predictable response. Much prefer round or round-adjacent these days.
Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
What is your standard setup if you have one?
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
same experience
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
Tight 18x20s
Tour Bite 17 x Cyberflash 1.20
Adjust tension to racket flex and pattern : 44x42 for Wilson Ultra Tour 18x20 330sw
Normal 16x19s
Pro Line Evolution 1.25 (will replace with a grey round 1.25 poly soon)
Adjust tension to racket flex and pattern : 48x48 for Wilson Blade v5 16x19 325sw
(Note: 10% up on last mains, eCP stringer)
NguyenieThePoo
New User
Can't get away from Hyper G in my Prince ATS 98. It just works for me. I hit a flatter topspin anyway, but the Hyper G helps me get that little bit "more" on serve.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
PT Rev - when you want to use shaped poly psychologically but in reality you don't actually want much change from round.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Why don’t you swing harder as the extra spin will keep the ball in the court. Extra spin can never be bad.
When you get to 8 sided, isn't that basically round? I have been hitting w/ Toroline Snapper and it behaves likes a round poly.
Anyway, I find I hit better slices, approaches with round poly. I find my slice serve is more consistent also w/ round poly.
With 4 sided poly like Hyper G or Wasabi or 4S, I find the topspin and kick is unsurpassed. I can hit really sharp angle slices but it's hot and cold...
Anyway, I find I hit better slices, approaches with round poly. I find my slice serve is more consistent also w/ round poly.
With 4 sided poly like Hyper G or Wasabi or 4S, I find the topspin and kick is unsurpassed. I can hit really sharp angle slices but it's hot and cold...
Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
Thanks for the reply, but the issue isn't swing speed. It's launch angle. I find a more predictable shot with the round strings (in my limited experience).
I'd be open to changing, but I seem to have less experience with string variety than many forums members as I am a player who finds their groove with equipment and sticks with it for quite some time.
not sure if you're comparing the Hyper G to the Hyper G round but according to the Tennis Warehouse string tool the Round actually has slightly higher spin potential. find that interesting, haven't hit with the round yet (just ordered a pack)
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
If only it were that easy. Yes pure spin without through the court movement OR a heavy ball up-and-forward-kick can definitely be a issue. Almost any ESP or Spin-Effect frame with unoptimized string setup (for the player) typically would just lead to balls sitting up which any 4.0+ and even some good 3.5s can destroy. Trying to ramp it up can lead to bigger errors and then its bouncing between getting hammered or hitting balls out.
Also there is the issue of hit-through-compress&sling-spin VS brushy-glancy-spin.
For me personally once I have confidence that ball will go over the net (enough launch angle from racket+string) and stay in the court most of the time with my stock 60-70% FH (low enough power and launch angle from racket+string) then I can ramp us the swing speed and get the ball landing at my imaginary target.
Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
No. I've never played the Hyper G Round. The round polys I've used recently have been my trusty Signum Poly Pro Plasma Pure and Tourna Big Hitter Silver, which felt pretty good.
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
Extra spin itself is always good. But for a lot of people, myself included, faster swing speed to generate the extra spin can mess up swing path and racquet face angle much more, which can cause terrible UEs. We have to earn the right to swing faster and hit harder. That takes years.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
Use the shaped poly when you do practice drills and try swinging harder to deep targets in the corners. You will miss a lot initially, but hopefully start making swing adjustments and over time will reap the benefit of faster swing speed accompanied by more consistency.
D
Deleted member 775108
Guest
Interestingly once the player gets to that swing speed and quality - the player will no longer want (or need) shaped polys.
NOTE - not all the time but in many cases. Thx GodlessEndeavor
Last edited by a moderator:
TennisManiac
Hall of Fame
And then when that player gets up into their mid 40's and their shoulder starts wearing out. They will go back to the shaped and textured polys so they can slow it back down.
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
That's my theory as well. I used to love ultra cable, now prefer BHS7T. May eventually move onto round string.
GodlessEndeavor
Professional
I think it's fun to play with Ultra Cable and watch the ridiculous side spin you can get on slices, but I'm not sure it improves my tennis overall.
Klatu Verata Necktie
Hall of Fame
What's the deal here? Is the Ultra Cable a more extreme shaped poly than the Tourna Big Hitter Silver 7?
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
Yes, that's my experience. The more I learn to hit through the ball, the less bite of the string I prefer.
GodlessEndeavor
Professional
There are some notable exceptions, such as Casper Ruud who has super spinny shots on both forehand and backhand. He uses a pentagonal string in the mains + round string in the crosses (Polytour Spin / Polytour Pro hybrid).
alcaraziño
New User
I tend to prefer shaped polys, it's what I'm used to use and I like the extra grip on the ball I get on baseline shots (specially the forehand, my backhand is more flat) and on kick and slice serves. However what I don't like from the shaped strings is that sometimes I get an unpredictable ball trajectory, specially in touch shots, as if the ball was dying on the strings. What models of non-shaped polys do you recommend?
einca13
Rookie
My favorite round poly is Tourna Black Zone. Restring Sync and MSV Bussard are good too And give tons of spin due to the coatings. ALU Power is the standard but the playability window is so small it isn’t worth it. Firestorm and Element are also decent. I guess Hyper G has a round string now too, but I haven’t played it.
The best of both world could be 6 or 8 sided string that are very slightly shaped and play almost like a round string, but still give you a little bite. My favorites are ALU Pearl Rough, Tour Sniper, M8 and Black Knight. I am sure there are many more that others will recommend.
Confidential fits the bill (for the last paragraph)
Hyper-G and Confidential are favorites of mine... spinny but also controlled and so reduced chance of wild launches.
For shaped polys though, I have to string crosses at the same tension as mains or I have a very hard time controlling the ball. For round polys, I actually enjoy stringing crosses 1-2lbs lower than mains to increase spin potential and launch angle slightly.
Anyone else feel the same?
For shaped polys though, I have to string crosses at the same tension as mains or I have a very hard time controlling the ball. For round polys, I actually enjoy stringing crosses 1-2lbs lower than mains to increase spin potential and launch angle slightly.
Anyone else feel the same?
vndesu
Hall of Fame
I actually like mixing tensions for the shaped strings as well. For me it just feels more comfortable depending on which shaped string it is. I will usually only do this with the stiffer string set up. But currently with my kpro strings I did string at the same tension.
jimdontcare
Rookie
Tour M8 has a uniquely grippy feel while maintaining pretty much all the predictability of a round poly.
I like Black Zone, especially for the price. But personally I find that when a round poly gets too slippery, it has its own predictability issues when played in a full bed. Though, I think the lack of predictability comes from a loss of feel for me more than launchiness, like with a shaped string.
I like Black Zone, especially for the price. But personally I find that when a round poly gets too slippery, it has its own predictability issues when played in a full bed. Though, I think the lack of predictability comes from a loss of feel for me more than launchiness, like with a shaped string.
Winners or Errors
Legend
I pretty exclusively use synthetic gut or multi/poly hybrids, so no shaped poly's for me - they chew up the softer strings. Just round poly crosses.
pico
Hall of Fame
Yep this is my experience too but I keep going back to my BHS7t cos of the bite. It is addictive. I will try it in mains only and a round poly for cross.
am1899
Legend
For those of you who haven’t yet, Hyper G round is absolutely worth a try. Strung one of my EZ100’s with it last month just as a trial. 50lbs. First outing was terrible (no control). Next couple outings were surprisingly awesome. Concluded I strung it too tight to begin with, would do 48lbs next time. Very good string.
BallsOfFire
Rookie
MSV Focus Hex. Or Signum Pro HEXtreme.
Half price of Hyper G.
Same or better playability, spin and durability.
For selfstringers:
Pro's Pro shaped strings. Half duration on playability but 1/3 the price.
Just bring more rackets to the court.
am1899
Legend
Was talking about Hyper G round, as opposed to the og shaped version.
Honza
Semi-Pro
Read again. He said round.
BallsOfFire
Rookie
double post. sorry
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I’ve been a long-time user of HyperG and then HyperG Soft as crosses with gut mains on a Pure Strike Tour. Tried HyperG Round recently as a cross instead and didn’t like it as much as HyperG Soft - hit long a bit too often with the Round and didn’t get enough spin on serves. Like ALU Power as a cross when I tried it once, but only for about 5-6 hours which is too short a period to restring for me as I don’t do my own stringing. So I will stick with shaped poly.
Same here. Tourna BHS7T is my go-to but I just bought a set of PTP to try in crosses as a hybrid. Just as an experiment. Curious about how it'll play.
kunos
Rookie
Yep! Went out today with HyperG Round for the first time (Pure Aero 98 @ 23 kg/51 lbs), probably I also strung a bit too high.
Coming from (a bit old) Confidential they felt really good, I had just a little bit of problems with directionality in the first 30 mins but depth control via spin was amazing, I felt I couldn't miss a shot... really nice.
WacTennis2017
Semi-Pro
How long does your Gut Mains/Lynx tour cross last before strings locks up or do they just break?
I was thinking about trying X-one Mains and Lynx tour on crosses but my prediction is the shaped poly will quickly get into the multi and lock up the strings.
socallefty
G.O.A.T.
I break the gut typically around 15 hours. If I play only doubles, the poly (HyperG Soft) goes dead within 18-20 hours where I see erratic control and some tightness in my wrist/arm.
SinneGOAT
Hall of Fame
Unironically true lol it plays almost exactly like a round.
jmacdaununder2
Legend
Plus it comes in purple, mint & orange - not that I prioritise colour...
JOSHL
Hall of Fame
This is why I stick with regular Poly tour pro, I really see no difference and it’s much cheaper.
codonnell
Semi-Pro
Also my go to here. The tension maintenance is great as well, just a solid string for the price. I would be curious to also add in what percentage is using rough strings in its own category.
