senior tournaments strings

[David Thomas]

I'm curious to know what kinds of strings the top seniors use in their rackets who play singles in the USTA tournaments. I have been using poly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses, but I've been experiencing some shoulder, elbow, and arm pain the past year. I think I need to change my strings, but I'm not sure what kinds of strings I should use. I'm just curious to know what the top seniors are using in their rackets. I'm 58 years old and around a 4.5 level player who enjoys playing singles. Thanks for any information from the senior players out there.

 

[Matthew Lee]

My dad uses full poly, I guess he just really likes the spin and control, but he's using Volkl Cyclone Tour, one of the softer strings in the poly world. I think it would be better for him to use natural gut and maybe a poly cross, but he likes to save money. A lot of my dad's friends use multis and natural gut strings, but a few of the younger friends my dad plays with use full poly such as RPM Blast or Wilson Revolve or Solinco Tour Bite.

 

[MRfStop]

I'm curious to know what kinds of strings the top seniors use in their rackets who play singles in the USTA tournaments. I have been using poly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses, but I've been experiencing some shoulder, elbow, and arm pain the past year. I think I need to change my strings, but I'm not sure what kinds of strings I should use. I'm just curious to know what the top seniors are using in their rackets. I'm 58 years old and around a 4.5 level player who enjoys playing singles. Thanks for any information from the senior players out there.

You are going to want to ask this question in the Strings section of the forum but you will also want to do some research in the strings section. There is a ton of info on soft polys, multis and natural gut.

If you like poly you may want to go to look into a softer poly for the mains. But I already know what everyone is going to tell you is to switch to full bed of a multi, syn gut or natural gut.

Tecnifibre X1 Biphase as a multi comes to mind that you may want to try out.

 

[lstewart]

I am your age and a high 4.5. I've had a top 25 national ranking and played a lot of senior events for a couple of years. I also play a poly main / synthetic cross. I don't like all poly, but do like the extra spin I get from the poly mains. I have pretty serious wrist problems, and the elbow is pretty iffy. I play a very flexible Pacific 95 inch frame. I use the Volkl Cyclone Tour poly mains already mentioned, and can confirm they are soft for a poly. I still hit hard and play at a high level against young players, so I don't want to lose the control I have with the poly mains. Being able to use all multi / gut / whatever depends a lot on your style of play, how much spin you can generate, how hard you swing, the racket you use, etc. There is not really one answer that fits everyone. Your issue might be the frame you use, how tight you string, or how stiff the poly main you play is. What frame are you playing with?

 

[LeeD]

3 of my buds use cheap nylon, or multi, for the most power to aid in their slice groundstrokes and sidespin serves. All were former A/Open level player's 40 year's previous.
Actually, counting their buds, and another NorCal 70's singles finalist, 5 of them.

 

[OrangePower]

I'm curious to know what kinds of strings the top seniors use in their rackets who play singles in the USTA tournaments. I have been using poly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses, but I've been experiencing some shoulder, elbow, and arm pain the past year. I think I need to change my strings, but I'm not sure what kinds of strings I should use. I'm just curious to know what the top seniors are using in their rackets. I'm 58 years old and around a 4.5 level player who enjoys playing singles. Thanks for any information from the senior players out there.

There's a few guys on my 40 & over 4.5+ team in their late 50's and one who is mid 60's.
I'm not sure what all of them use, but I do know that one guy in his late 50's uses a full bed of Volkl Cyclone, and the mid 60's gut uses a gut / Kirschbaum Evolution hybrid.

 

[David Thomas]

I use a Wilson BLX Tour 90, but I'm considering changing to a racket with a bigger head. I need to try the Pacific 95. I tried the Wilson Pro Staff 97, but it felt too stiff. Also, I plan to try the Babalot Pure Strike.
I need to try the Volkl poly strings. I like poly strings because of the spin and durability, but I think I just need to find softer ones. I hit hard with plenty of topspin on my forehand, and I play mostly young guys in singles. I have been using the Prince poly 16 gauge at 60 pounds on the mains with Prince synthetic gut dura flex at 60 pounds on the crosses.
Last, I did try to post this message on the "strings" message board, but got very few responses.
I appreciate all the responses I have gotten on this message board. It has been very helpful!

 

[OrangePower]

I use a Wilson BLX Tour 90, but I'm considering changing to a racket with a bigger head. I need to try the Pacific 95. I tried the Wilson Pro Staff 97, but it felt too stiff. Also, I plan to try the Babalot Pure Strike.
I need to try the Volkl poly strings. I like poly strings because of the spin and durability, but I think I just need to find softer ones. I hit hard with plenty of topspin on my forehand, and I play mostly young guys in singles. I have been using the Prince poly 16 gauge at 60 pounds on the mains with Prince synthetic gut dura flex at 60 pounds on the crosses.
Last, I did try to post this message on the "strings" message board, but got very few responses.
I appreciate all the responses I have gotten on this message board. It has been very helpful!

16 gauge poly @ 60lbs in a 90 frame is definitely not arm friendly!!
Have you tried to string the poly at lower tension? As in, for a 90 frame, mid to high 40's?

 

[lstewart]

Dang.... a 90 inch frame strung at 60 with poly mains? I need to go get a cortisone shot in my wrist just from reading that! That's your problem. I do think you might find some benefit moving to a little larger frame. My wrist is very frame sensitive and I have to play with a heavier flexible frame. They don't still make the Pacific X-Feel 95 frame I use. They are around a 60 or so flex, and mine are about 12.2 ounces loaded out. I would suggest backing down into the mid 50's on your tension, and maybe trying the Volkl Cyclone Tour. I use 17 or 18 g to make it even softer. I string my frames right now at 53/55. I've played at times in the past with the Wilson 90, and I do see some benefit to going a little larger. There are some other options out there still being produced you can consider. Look for something with a decent weight, and on the lower end of the stiffness scale. I can look at a frame's stiffness rating and know that I can't play it. Good luck!

 

[Dartagnan64]

Prince Textreme Tour Frames are very arm friendly and great frames with a little weight in the handle, throat and 3 and 9. I have a leaded up 100T and my arm is noticing the improvement over my old PD+ frames.

As for string, the best option to all poly is gut/poly hybrid. Use a soft poly at about 50lbs and have the gut at about 58. Good comfort (not as good as pure gut, but way better than pure poly). Or go with something like Babolat Origin. That's a comfortable string with good spin potential and maintains its resilience longer than most multis IMO.

 

[Ronaldo]

Guy in his 60s that gets an extreme amount of spin in his game uses Wilson Champions Choice.

 

[MRfStop]

There are a lot of variables to alleviating arm pain but from your description lowering your string tension and using a softer string will help.

You could use TW racquet finder and set the stiffness no higher than 65.

 

[Traffic]

I'm curious to know what kinds of strings the top seniors use in their rackets who play singles in the USTA tournaments. I have been using poly in the mains and synthetic gut in the crosses, but I've been experiencing some shoulder, elbow, and arm pain the past year. I think I need to change my strings, but I'm not sure what kinds of strings I should use. I'm just curious to know what the top seniors are using in their rackets. I'm 58 years old and around a 4.5 level player who enjoys playing singles. Thanks for any information from the senior players out there.

First off, how long have you had your strings in your racquet?
A poly string will go dead 8-15hrs of play. If you're a hard hitter, even sooner. So if you've had your strings in your racquet for more than a month, that's probably contributing to your pains.

Depending on the poly, there are varying degrees of stiffness. But one thing that is constant is that you need to change out the poly frequently. Do not use "I haven't broken my string yet" as an indicator of when to restring.