Tennis String for Juniors?

C

chrislafayette

New User
I know there have been threads of this in the past but I have a 13 year old . . . good player . . . plays about 20-30 tourneys a year. He has tried a few of the soft co-polys and then he tried the Wilson Revolve Twist strung at 52 in his Blade 98S. He fell in love with the string but I have fears of elbow issues arising. He is smaller so I'm looking for probably a hybrid set-up. He tried Wilson NXT Power and loved the feel but broke strings in both racquets within the first hour. So that's why I'm heading down the hybrid road. I do have a stringer and just want to see what others are using in their junior set-ups. I'm also open to a full bed of multi. Looking for more power of course because he has great control with the poly but definitely has seen a decrease in power with it (of course).
 
Put a syngut in the crosses for both softness and durability. My preference for max durability is Gamma TNT2. I regularly use it for spin effect rackets and the poly mains tend to go before it does. A soft syngut that I also use for hybrids is Dunlop S-Gut.
I have a good junior kid that I string for. He's a smallish 12 year old. He doesn't use a spin effect racket he uses Yonex Vcore 100 SVs and he is currently using Gut mains with TNT2 crosses. This gives him the power he is looking for and pretty good durability. His dad just brought them back to me after like 4 months of play because his son shanked one and broke the gut. It's fairly expensive when you count $40 for gut, $9 for TNT2, plus $20 for stringing but for him, they last.

Edit: What tension is he currently at? You may consider going lower to gain more power with less work on his part.
 
SavvyStringer said:
Put a syngut in the crosses for both softness and durability. My preference for max durability is Gamma TNT2. I regularly use it for spin effect rackets and the poly mains tend to go before it does. A soft syngut that I also use for hybrids is Dunlop S-Gut.
I have a good junior kid that I string for. He's a smallish 12 year old. He doesn't use a spin effect racket he uses Yonex Vcore 100 SVs and he is currently using Gut mains with TNT2 crosses. This gives him the power he is looking for and pretty good durability. His dad just brought them back to me after like 4 months of play because his son shanked one and broke the gut. It's fairly expensive when you count $40 for gut, $9 for TNT2, plus $20 for stringing but for him, they last.

Edit: What tension is he currently at? You may consider going lower to gain more power with less work on his part.
Click to expand...
He was at 55 with NXT Power.
 
So hybriding with a triangle shape string isn't a great idea as the multi in the hybrid will snap due to the Revolve cutting into it. Has he tried like a 19 or 18 gauge Solinco Hyper G? That would be better for his arm. My son is 11 and snaps NXT Power in 3 hours so I know your pain.
 
Yes, I agree. I am not planning on using the Revolve Twist in the hybrid set-up for that reason alone. No, he hasn't tried Hyper G yet.
 
chrislafayette said:
Yes, I agree. I am not planning on using the Revolve Twist in the hybrid set-up for that reason alone. No, he hasn't tried Hyper G yet.
Click to expand...
For sure bring the tension down to give him more pop. It will increase his launch angle so he'll have to spin the ball more to bring it down but it will help with him having to muscle the ball. Tourbite 18, 19, 20 or HyperG 18, 19, 20 would be decent for a kid his age but I would still hybrid them. Even in that open pattern, if you hybrid with a softer string they should still have decent longevity.
 
I'm assuming he's also hitting with loads of spin. Try Hyper G 19 gauge at like 48 lbs. We plan to do that next week after this weekends tournament. My son is using the 20 gauge right now
 
chrislafayette said:
I do have a hybrid set of Tourbite and Vanquish so I could give that a try.
Click to expand...
It's a good hybrid but won't last in the spin frame. Find a nice syngut. Tourbite will rip through the vanquish. It's my preferred hybrid in 17g. If I use vanquish as a main I can get maybe two sets of singles. If I use tourbite as the main I can get 6-8 sets before it is too frayed and locked up or broken. I'm playing a 16x19 radical MP at 50/48 for for vanquish mains and 48/50 for tourbite mains.
 
i have used the 98S for the last year ... really like the frame bc i hit a loopy ball. i string with 52 lbs full poly like your son does. not sure if this is remotely helpful, but ive found the frame to be a string eater like no other. i get less than 10 hrs on the bed of poly before its loose and notched badly enough i have to restring.

just wondering if youre gonna get any longevity out of a hybrid in this frame.
 
I probably need to clarify . . . I'm not worried about having to restring often. I am just looking for something that is arm-friendly, not super-soft feel because he likes the feel of poly and more power for sure.
 
a reasonable option would be to get rid of the spin frame, change to a regular 16x19 pattern and then use a syngut or durable multi like head velocity, prince premier control etc.
 
That starts an entire new thought process. But am all ears on that. He prefers Wilson and not sure I could talk him out of changing brands. He has hit the ProStaff and Clash. Liked the ProStaff. He has not hit the burn or Ultra. I also can assume you are talking about just the 16x19 blade.
 
i doesn´t have to be a blade. every 98sq in frame with a "normal" 16x19 pattern should extend string life.
with spin effect racquets or very open stringpattern racquets you have to use durable (stiff)strings to get at least a few hours out of a stringjob.
with a more closed pattern racquet you have way more options (softer polys, synguts, multis; in various hybrids) to get a comfortable setup without performance decrements.
 
my blade 98L keeps strings alive much longer. i actually have a hybrid in it now. it requires lead in the hoop though and of course is a little more difficult to coax spin out of
 
Hansen said:
i doesn´t have to be a blade. every 98sq in frame with a "normal" 16x19 pattern should extend string life.
with spin effect racquets or very open stringpattern racquets you have to use durable (stiff)strings to get at least a few hours out of a stringjob.
with a more closed pattern racquet you have way more options (softer polys, synguts, multis; in various hybrids) to get a comfortable setup without performance decrements.
Click to expand...
You may have an opinion or you may not . . . Blade vs Ultra Tour for a 14 year old? he has great control but lacks in power.
 
chrislafayette said:
You may have an opinion or you may not . . . Blade vs Ultra Tour for a 14 year old? he has great control but lacks in power.
Click to expand...
Due to the pattern in the ultra tour it will hit a much flatter ball. Since he is currently using the spin effect he will notice a significant drop. If they made it in a 16x19 I would play that frame. If you switch within the blade switch to the 16x19. Switching to a burn or regular ultra 100 will up the power of the frame significantly but it also comes with high frame stiffness which can cause injury.
 
SavvyStringer said:
Due to the pattern in the ultra tour it will hit a much flatter ball. Since he is currently using the spin effect he will notice a significant drop. If they made it in a 16x19 I would play that frame. If you switch within the blade switch to the 16x19. Switching to a burn or regular ultra 100 will up the power of the frame significantly but it also comes with high frame stiffness which can cause injury.
Click to expand...
Thanks . . . I appreciate that info.
 
SavvyStringer summed it up perfectly. since your son seems to want to stay with wilson, maybe the new wilson clash tour 98 (which releases this month) could also be an option (i think the regular clash 100 is also a string eater due to the open pattern and therefore not a better alternativ than the 98s).
 
Have you tried poly/poly hybrids? I’d go with both soft copolys to start with...shaped in mains, smooth/round in crosses. This will facilitate maximum snapback action in the mains providing easy access to spin. Signum Pro poly plasma and yonex poly tour pro are great cross strings. I rarely break crosses so I go with 18g SPPP but 17g yonex PTP also works well. As for the mains, youd probably want to go with a shaped string for spin/bite but it may take some experimentation. Shaped strings provide higher launch angle, round provides lower launch angle, jus depends on preference but I usually dump a lot of balls into the net with round poly as mains. I saw someone mention hyperG but personally, I’m not a fan cuz it doesn’t provide easy access to power. Signum pro X-perience is a better version of hyperG, hexagonal shape provides more sharp edges for increased bite vs square shape of hyperG, not to mention it is softer for added power/comfort. If you are truly concerned about the health of your son’s arm, as long as he uses correct technique and stretches out the muscles/joint/ligaments regularly, he should be fine. Depending on the conditions of where he plays, adjust tension accordingly.
Hotter weather -> higher tension
colder weather -> lower tension

I have about 4-5 racquets that I rotate and I try to use the softest setup that also gives me adequate control to keep the ball in. SPPP and yonex PTP are GREAT cross that I am for sure certain should be used in the hybrids. As for possible mains, the list could go on and on but Ill jus name a few other than X-perience that might pique your interest...

Dunlop Black widow (nice but shortlived lifespan...2-3 weeks max?)
ytex quadro twist (havent personally tried but read many great things about soft/spin)
genesis typhoon (same as quadro)
isospeed cream (very nice copoly that feels soft and dareisay creamy? but not shaped)
diadem solstice power (amazing spin, star shaped string)
cyclone tour (twisted poly similar to quadro twist...i HAVE tried this but felt like the twist aspect of the string provided some unpredictable responses at times)





Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So here's an update. Took him to the courts tonight and we tried:
NXT Comfort/Luxillon Hybrid - liked this one and seemed to have more power
Tour Bite/Vanquish Hybrid - noticed he had quite a bit of spin with this . . . not much increase in power
Then he tried the racquet I had brought with me. It was one I had strung up just to "practice" when I got my stringer. I'm not sure what the mains were but I think a cheap Head String. Then the crosses were a Prince Synthetic Gut 16g (neon yellow). He absolutely loved the feel of this one. Had quite a bit more power, control and good spin. He was able to put the ball where he wanted and hit winner after winner. He also said he loved how solid the racquet felt.
Since I'm not a "string" guy . . . and I value others opinion who have more experience with this . . . any suggestions? Evidently synthetic gut is the way to go as previously mentioned in this post. But does that make sense and why would that be? Just trying to understand all of this for his sake.
 
chrislafayette said:
So here's an update. Took him to the courts tonight and we tried:
NXT Comfort/Luxillon Hybrid - liked this one and seemed to have more power
Tour Bite/Vanquish Hybrid - noticed he had quite a bit of spin with this . . . not much increase in power
Then he tried the racquet I had brought with me. It was one I had strung up just to "practice" when I got my stringer. I'm not sure what the mains were but I think a cheap Head String. Then the crosses were a Prince Synthetic Gut 16g (neon yellow). He absolutely loved the feel of this one. Had quite a bit more power, control and good spin. He was able to put the ball where he wanted and hit winner after winner. He also said he loved how solid the racquet felt.
Since I'm not a "string" guy . . . and I value others opinion who have more experience with this . . . any suggestions? Evidently synthetic gut is the way to go as previously mentioned in this post. But does that make sense and why would that be? Just trying to understand all of this for his sake.
Click to expand...

Those were probably the oldest and thus softest setup. I’ve found that poly fresh off the stringer feels quite harsh unless you get the tension just right. I usually have to let it sit in my bag for some time before it feels jus right. Have u tried Head velocity? There’s a thread on here about former poly players that have gravitated towards this string due to arm problems. It is a multi that has the snapback of a poly giving good spin. I have a reel of 17g black to trade or whatnot if you’re interested. The only problem is the shortened lifetime of multi but it’s great for comfort/feel. I’m gonna hybrid it in the mains with signum pro poly plasma 18g crosses. I’ve tried hybrid with head velocity in the crosses but it gets shredded when the mains slide over the crosses. Weather/temperature definitely affects the feel of the strings too. Lower temperatures -> stiffer strings -> harsher feel. Therefore, string lower at colder weather, string higher in warmer weather. I usually have a few different sticks that I can rotate through depending on what the situation calls for. It might also be good to string on the tighter side as opposed to looser side because u can set aside a tight string setup to loosen up over time whereas looser strings cannot become tighter. Hope this helps!
B


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My favourite synthetic gut is Gosen OG Sheep Micro (or OGSM for short) - plays a bit more crisp with feedback that I like. But Prince Original Syn gut (POSG) or Prince Syn Gut with Duraflex (PSGD) are pretty well received in this board too. Another option is Forten Sweet 16, which is supposedly softer than most syn guts.
 
What no love for gut/poly? It’s pretty much the best hybrid there is.

You get power, spin, durability and it is comfortable on the arm. My 11yo has been using this for a couple years. He’s using lux gut and alu power at low 50lbs tensions.

I won’t let him play full poly until he gets older and stronger. By then he might not want to switch to anything else.
 
chrislafayette said:
Evidently synthetic gut is the way to go as previously mentioned in this post. But does that make sense and why would that be? Just trying to understand all of this for his sake.
Click to expand...
your son seems to prefer softer strings in general, thats a good thing. gilles simon plays with a multi to this day, for example. poly strings are, in a way, a neccessary evil (stiff = durable) and primarily suited for HIGH LEVEL ADULT PLAYERS and not for kids.
 
n8dawg6 said:
i have used the 98S for the last year ... really like the frame bc i hit a loopy ball. i string with 52 lbs full poly like your son does. not sure if this is remotely helpful, but ive found the frame to be a string eater like no other. i get less than 10 hrs on the bed of poly before its loose and notched badly enough i have to restring.

just wondering if youre gonna get any longevity out of a hybrid in this frame.
Click to expand...

FWIW, I found something soft on the mains like gut or origin and a round poly on the crosses like element to last longer than full poly. But tension was tricky to not make it a rocket launcher. Things like Tourbite or hyper G had a laughably short life.

I might buy one of these silly bold sticks just to get the stick again without CV.
 
Bobble said:
FWIW, I found something soft on the mains like gut or origin and a round poly on the crosses like element to last longer than full poly. But tension was tricky to not make it a rocket launcher. Things like Tourbite or hyper G had a laughably short life.

I might buy one of these silly bold sticks just to get the stick again without CV.
Click to expand...
i love it with full poly ... for about 6-8 hrs, ha!
 
Can I mention poly/poly hybrids. Try ghost wire, or cream as a cross with your fav poly string. Found it softens up the bed enough for my dad who just came out of tennis elbow and cannot handle multifilaments (booming the ball 10ft out no joke). I've never tried a poly/poly hybrid but I've seen my dad try it with great success.
 
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