Natural Gut and Polyester Hybrid Setups

A natural gut and polyester hybrid pairs the comfort and power of natural gut with the control and spin potential of polyester, producing a blend no single string type can deliver alone.

The setup works because of the 70/30 rule: your main strings contribute roughly 70% of the stringbed's character while the crosses shape the remaining 30%.

Splitting two very different materials across these roles lets you lean into the strengths of each without fully committing to either's weaknesses.

This is the configuration favored by players like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, though it comes with real trade-offs in cost and maintenance that every player should weigh.

Below, we compare both configurations of this hybrid setup, how to choose the right strings and tension, and a budget-friendly alternative that captures many of the same benefits.

Natural Gut Mains with Polyester Crosses

This is the classic configuration. Placing natural gut in the dominant mains position means its comfort, power, and energy return lead the stringbed's overall feel.

Because gut handles roughly 70% of the response, groundstrokes launch with less effort. Generating pace on shorter swings and at the net becomes noticeably easier.

The polyester crosses stabilize this power, adding control and preventing the setup from feeling overly lively or unpredictable.

Arm shock drops significantly compared to a full polyester bed, which is why this is the preferred configuration for players managing tennis elbow or joint sensitivity.

In terms of professional players using this setup, Federer played Wilson Natural Gut mains with Luxilon ALU Power Rough crosses for much of his career. Djokovic uses Babolat VS Touch gut mains with Luxilon ALU Power crosses.

The main downside of this setup is durability. Natural gut mains absorb more ball contact and abrasion than crosses, so they break faster and drive up how often you have to restring.

This is where the polyester crosses you choose make a real difference. A cross string with a slick, low-friction surface reduces the abrasion that wears gut down.

A round poly like ReString Sync is designed for this. ReString's Signature Snapback coating minimizes friction between the mains and crosses, helping your natural gut last longer while keeping the stringbed sliding freely.

Polyester Mains with Natural Gut Crosses

Flipping the arrangement puts polyester in the mains, giving the setup a spin-first, control-oriented personality while the gut crosses soften the overall response.

Polyester mains deliver the snapback and bite that aggressive baseliners depend on for topspin and depth. The gut crosses reduce vibration, make mishits more forgiving than a full polyester bed, and add power on serves and compact swings where gut's energy return makes a noticeable difference.

This appeals to hard hitters who find full polyester too harsh but still want its spin and control characteristics leading the way.

One trade-off to be aware of is that gut crosses can create friction that limits the free sliding movement of the polyester mains, which may reduce spin generation compared to a polyester hybrid setup or the natural gut mains configuration outlined above.

Expect more frequent restringing than full polyester setups as the gut crosses still wear and break faster than polyester would in the same position.

Best Ways to Set Up a Natural Gut and Polyester Hybrid

Choosing Your Strings

On the natural gut side, performance differences between major manufacturers are minimal.

The choice usually comes down to availability and price, with Wilson and Babolat dominating the market. Expect to pay $40 or more per set for gut, reflecting the complex manufacturing process using cow serosa fibers.

On the polyester side, string shape and coating are the most important factors because they directly affect how long the gut lasts.

Shaped polyesters with sharp edges saw into the softer gut and shorten its lifespan, while round polyesters provide the gentlest interaction and protect your investment.

Natural gut does not have a slick surface on its own, so the smoother and more slippery your polyester is, the better your setup will play for longer.

Sync combines these two preferred characteristics for a natural gut and polyester hybrid. Its round shape is gentle on the gut, but the real advantage is its low-friction Signature Snapback coating.

This super-slick surface treatment reduces friction between the mains and crosses far beyond what shape alone can achieve, enhancing string movement and dramatically slowing the notching that cuts gut setups short.

When your gut half set costs $20 or more, protecting that investment with the right poly is one of the smartest decisions you can make.

Tension Guidelines

Because natural gut and polyester behave differently under tension, stringing both at the same reference often produces an unbalanced response. Gut holds tension well and remains elastic, while polyester is inherently stiffer and loses tension faster.

Our recommendation is to string your polyester 2-3 lbs lower than your natural gut string to account for this difference.

Djokovic's setup illustrates this well. His natural gut mains sit at approximately 59 lbs with polyester crosses at 56 lbs, keeping the stringbed balanced as both materials settle in over time.

Fine-tune from there based on your racket, swing speed, and whether you prefer more power (lower tension) or more control (higher tension).

Are Natural Gut Strings Worth the Price?

Natural gut and polyester hybrids are one of the most expensive stringing options in tennis, and frequent restringing compounds that cost quickly. A single hybrid job with gut can easily run $50 or more before labor.

This is a major reason the setup is primarily seen on the pro tour, where sponsorship eliminates cost concerns and players have access to fresh rackets every match.

For players who want the benefits of a polyester and softer string hybrid without the premium price, a polyester and multifilament hybrid is a great alternative.

Multifilament strings share many of gut's comfort and power characteristics at a fraction of the cost and pair well with polyester in the same configurations described above.

Read more about the different types of tennis string in our full guide to understand all your options.

Conclusion

A natural gut and polyester hybrid gives you the best of both worlds, with natural gut's comfort and power paired with polyester's control and spin.

The gut mains configuration prioritizes comfort and arm friendliness, while the poly mains configuration puts spin and control in the driver's seat.

If you choose either a natural gut and polyester or multifilament and polyester hybrid, Sync is the ideal pairing for the polyester side. Its round profile is gentle on softer strings, and its Signature Snapback coating reduces friction to keep your stringbed sliding freely and your setup playing better for longer.

About the Author: Juan is the co-founder of ReString. He was born in Argentina, raised in Japan, and moved to the US to pursue college tennis. He now plays as an ATP & WTA hitting partner.