Types of Tennis Strings Explained

Tennis strings fall into four main categories: natural gut, polyester, multifilament, and synthetic gut. Each type offers a unique balance of power, control, comfort, and durability.

Understanding what separates them helps you choose strings that match your playing style, swing speed, and priorities on court. This article breaks down each string type, explains who benefits most from each, and how to choose the right string type for you.

Tennis String Comparison

String Type	Power	Control	Comfort	Durability	Cost	Best For
Natural Gut	High	Moderate	Excellent	Low	$$$	Hybrid setup with polyester for power and comfort
Polyester	Low	Excellent	Low	High	$	Competitive players with fast swings
Multifilament	High	Low	High	Moderate	$$	Beginners and players seeking comfort
Synthetic Gut	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate	$	Recreational players on a budget

Natural Gut Tennis Strings

Natural gut is made from the serosa fibers of cow intestine. It is considered the premium string and the original tennis string material that started it all.

Even with decades of string development, natural gut offers unmatched softness, comfort, and feel that other materials still cannot fully replicate. It also provides excellent power and tension maintenance over time.

Professional players like Federer and Djokovic have famously used natural gut when paired with polyester in a hybrid setup. This combination gives them the comfort and power of gut with the control and durability of poly. You rarely see natural gut used in a full bed today outside of veteran players.

The drawbacks of natural gut include high cost and sensitivity to moisture and humidity. If you play in wet conditions frequently, gut may not be the most practical choice.

Natural gut is best suited for players who prioritize power and comfort, where budget is not a concern at all. It’s probably the best choice for players suffering from tennis elbow.

Polyester Tennis Strings

Polyester strings are called monofilament strings because they are made of a single solid polyester filament. They were developed throughout the 1990s and fundamentally changed how players approach the game.

Polyester enabled the heavy topspin techniques used by modern baseliners like Alcaraz and Nadal. These players could never have developed the technique they have without the control and spin potential that polyester provides.

The material is naturally stiffer than other string types, which delivers exceptional control and durability for players who swing fast.

In static form, polyester delivers less "free" power than gut or multifilament, making it a control-oriented choice. However, polyester can be incredibly powerful when you generate that power yourself.

Polyester rewards those who can swing. At slow or static paces, poly has less power than other materials, but at faster paces, poly can really crush the ball like few others.

Tension loss happens quite fast with first-generation polyesters, so restringing often benefits competitive players who want consistent performance. Or you can choose brands that prioritize tension maintenance in their next-generation strings like ReString.

One thing to note is that polyester can feel harsh on the arm for beginners or players with slower swing speeds. If you cannot generate enough racket head speed, the stiffness may cause discomfort over time.

Polyester is best suited for experienced, competitive players who generate their own power and want durability, control, and spin. ReString specializes in this category with strings like Zero for power and spin, Sync for control and feel, and Vivo for control and spin.

Multifilament Tennis Strings

Multifilament strings are made from hundreds or thousands of tiny nylon microfibers twisted together. This is the opposite of polyester’s monofilament construction.

Multifilament was designed to replicate the feel of natural gut at a lower price point. The construction creates a highly elastic and soft string that provides significant power and comfort.

The arm-friendly nature makes it a strong choice for players with joint sensitivity or those still developing their technique.

However, the elasticity that creates power also leads to faster tension loss compared to polyester. You will likely need to restring more frequently to maintain consistent playability.

Multifilament also offers less control than polyester for players with fast swing speeds, as the softer response can make it harder to keep aggressive shots in the court.

Multifilament is best suited for beginners, intermediate players, juniors, veterans, or anyone prioritizing comfort and easy power. It works well in hybrid setups paired with polyester in the mains to add softness without sacrificing control.

Synthetic Gut Tennis Strings

Synthetic gut is made from a solid nylon core surrounded by outer wraps of smaller filaments. This differs from multifilament, which has many small nylon filaments throughout the entire string.

Like multifilament, synthetic gut represents a synthetic attempt (as the name suggests) to replicate natural gut characteristics at a budget price. It offers balanced, all-around performance with decent power, control, and durability.

Synthetic gut is softer than polyester but not as soft as natural gut or high-quality multifilaments. It does not excel in any single performance area, which makes it a jack-of-all-trades option.

Synthetic gut is best suited for beginners, recreational players, or anyone seeking an affordable option. You will often find it pre-strung on stock rackets from general retailers.

Choosing the Right String Type for Your Game

Before selecting a string, take an honest look at your skill level. This will guide you toward the string type that makes the most sense for where you are in your tennis journey.

Beginner players should focus on comfort and affordability, making synthetic gut or multifilament a sensible starting point. These strings are forgiving and provide easy access to power while you develop your technique.

Intermediate players can balance performance with replacement costs and begin experimenting with polyester or hybrid setups.

A common approach to hybrid setups is polyester mains paired with multifilament crosses for polyester control with added comfort. Or you can string with two different polyesters in a hybrid setup to blend different polyester playing characteristics.

Advanced players typically gravitate toward polyester for its control and spin potential, which is why it dominates the professional game alongside natural gut in hybrid setups.

If you're ready to explore polyester as an intermediate or advanced player, ReString offers a number of strings, including Zero for maximum power and spin, Sync for control and feel, and Vivo for control and spin with a sustainable edge.

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.