Us Open 2013 String Analysis

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/01% 2345

The WilsonLuxilon stiinging team is the official stiinging seivice of the 0S 0pen.
The uata gatheieu uuiing the event pioviues an iueal oppoitunity to take a uetaileu
look at the stiinging patteins of the paiticipants.

Let's fiist look at all iacquets stiung - by eveiyone who paiticipateu in the event
anu hau iacquets stiung by the official stiinging team. This incluueu ATP anu WTA
playeis in singles anu uoubles anu in both qualifying matches anu the main uiaw,
juniois, seniois, past champions, wheelchaii playeis, piofessional coaches anu a few
0STA luminaiies.

A total of 4,Su6 iacquets weie stiung uuiing the event.

Beie's a bieakuown of the numbei of iacquets that containeu a paiticulai
manufactuiei's stiing in eithei the mains oi ciosses:

Nanufactuiei Nains % Cioss %
Babolat 11u6 2S.7 1111 2S.8
Bow Bianu 12 .S u
Bunlop 2S .S 2S .S
uosen 7 .2 7 .2
Beau 12u 2.8 114 2.6
Isospeeu 71 1.6 71 1.6
Kiischbaum 18 .4 18 .4
Luxilon 1878 4S.6 1986 46.1
NSv S .1 u
Pacific 7S 1.7 67 1.6
Polystai 1S .S 1S .S
Piince 182 4.2 211 4.9
Signum Pio 8u 1.9 79 1.8
Solinco 61 1.4 86 2.u
Tecnifibie 14S S.S 14S S.S
Toalson 1 6 .1
Topspin 11 .S u
0nknown 11 .S 16 .4
volkl 6 .1 6 .1
Weiss Cannon 2 2
Wilson S74 8.7 226 S.2
Yonex 111 2.6 121 2.8
4Su6 4Su6

Next, a table of the numbei of iacquets stiung using the same manufactuiei's stiings
in both mains anu ciosses (uisiegaiuing the "+01 of stiing):

Nanufactuiei %
Babolat 969 22.S
Bunlop 2S .S
uosen 7 .2
Beau 114 2.6
Isospeeu 71 1.6
Kiischbaum 18 .4
Luxilon 1S49 S6
Pacific 6S 1.S
Polystai 1S .S
Piince 1S8 S.7
Signum Pio 67 1.6
Solinco S6 1.S
Tecnifibie 14S S.S
Toalson 1
0nknown 11 .S
volkl 6 .1
Weiss Cannon 2
Wilson SS .8
Yonex 8u 1.9
5567 869:
Bybiiu stiinging ;22 2497
4Su6

As seen in pievious events, the numbei of iacquets using hybiiu stiinging (wheie
uiffeient stiings aie useu in mains anu ciosses) is only aiounu one fifth of total
iacquets stiung at a pio level. This conflicts with the often-quoteu opinion of tennis
'expeits' anu commentatois that "most" iacquets stiung at the pio level aie hybiius.

So fai, we have lookeu at total iacquets stiung. This uistoits the 'ieal' pictuie of pio
playei piefeience because playeis who stiing moie iacquets oi make theii way
fuithei into the touinament have theii piefeiences counteu many moie times than
those who stiing less oi exit eailiei. Eliminating all but one of the iacquets useu by
eveiyone in the list leaves us with 7u2 inuiviuuals who stiung iacquets. To focus
just on pio playei piefeiences, I have eliminateu all except those in the main uiaw of
the event, which was 2S6. As theie aie 2S6 main uiaw playeis, theie aie 2u playeis
that uiu not have iacquets stiung by the WilsonLuxilon team. They aie:

Playei Seeuing
Anuy Nuiiay S
Beithanie Nattek
Chiistina NcBale
Bominika Cibulkova 17
Feliciano Lopez 2S
uael Nonfils
uiigoi Bimitiov
}ohn Isnei 1S
Naximo uonzalez
Nilos Raonic 1u
Novak Bjokovic 1
Paula 0imaechea
Rogei Feueiei 7
Sam Queiiey 26
Silvia Solei-Espinosa
Stanislas Wawiinka 9
Su-Wei Bsieh
Tomas Beiuych S
Ying-Ying Buan

So why woulu playeis look elsewheie foi theii stiinging neeus.

Some of the top playeis contiact with a specializeu stiinging seivice anu pay an
annual fee to have theii iacquets stiung by this same company at all majoi events.
They geneially have all theii iacquets tuneu foi weight anu balance at the beginning
of the season anu if they auu iacquets uuiing the yeai. Boing so - anu maintaining
the same stiinging team (anu stiinging machines) thioughout the yeai - is to ensuie
maximum consistency between iacquets at each match. They aie able to cieate a
close iappoit with theii stiingei anu also specify inuiviuual iequiiements (foi
example, Rogei Feueiei likes to have a specific pattein of stiing saveis inseiteu into
each of his iacquets). They aie also able to specify how long befoie theii match the
iacquets shoulu be stiung. This is significant in teims of tension at match-time anu
woulu be extiemely uifficult to ensuie in a busy stiinging ioom cateiing foi ovei
Suu clients. 0nly the WilsonLuxilon team aie alloweu to stiing on-site, so such
seivices geneially stiing in a hotel ioom - typically one of the 'playei hotels'.

Bowevei, theie aie othei ieasons that playeis uo not use the stiinging seivice. A
few playeis have theii iacquets stiung by a membei of theii team, a hitting paitnei
oi coach. Theie has to be a stiinging machine hiuuen insiue Bominka Cibulkova's
mountain of luggage..!

Photo cieuit: https:www.facebook.comucibulkova

Anu just occasionally theie is a playei that just likes to stiing theii own iacquets.

Paula 0imaechea is one of them. Beie aie a few exceipts fiom an aiticle that
appeaieu about hei uuiing the event:

0imaechea, who is fiom Sunchales, Aigentina, began stiinging hei iackets when she
was 11 anu has continueu evei since. Because hei town of 19,uuu hau few couits
anu no iacket-stiinging seivices, hei fathei bought a small poitable stiinging
machine anu taught his uaughtei how to use it.

As she iose thiough the junioi ianks anu continueu hei caieei as a piofessional,
0imaechea took hei 1S-pounu machine along with hei.

"It's quite easy," she saiu of tiaveling with the machine. "It's just six kilos less of
clothes, anu that's all."

In New Yoik, 0imaechea stiings hei iackets in the Nanhattan apaitment wheie she
is staying uuiing the touinament. She noimally listens to music by aitists like
Coluplay anu 02 while she woiks, sometimes singing along as she pulls hei 1.2S-
gauge Luxilon stiing thiough the holes in the iacket fiame.

0imaechea saiu she enjoyeu the consistency that came with stiinging hei own
iackets. She noimally sets hei machine to stiing at Su pounus of tension.

"I like it because I know that the tension will be always the same," she saiu. "It's the
same machine. When you tiavel to uiffeient places, it's always uiffeient. The peison
who will uo it is uiffeient, the machine, the tension will be moie oi less. It's not
always the same. So I'm useu to it. I know that this is my tension, anu I like it that
way, so I keep uoing it."

"I like it," 0imaechea saiu of the piocess. "I uo it in my fiee time. I can just think
about making the iacket, stiinging the iacket anu nothing else. It's just a few
minutes, but it uistiacts me fiom eveiything."

(Exceipts couitesy of the New Yoik Times)

I aumiie hei foi hei self-sufficiency. Anu hei comments about consistency hit the
nail on the heau. I have long been a ciitic of the fact that pio playeis aie subjecteu to
extiemely vaiiable skill anu ability when tiavelling the tennis ciicuit. While the
WilsonLuxilon team is piofessionally manageu, uses the best equipment anu is
composeu of some of the woilus finest stiingeis, this is not the case at many othei
touinaments wheie stiingeis may be ieciuiteu locally anu foi ieasons that have
little to uo with pioviuing quality stiinging foi the playeis. Tennis events aie
iesponsible foi pioviuing stiinging seivice anu tenu to use the same ciiteiia as they
woulu when selecting a secuiity oi cleaning contiactoi. While they want a
competent job uone, the expeitise to evaluate a stiinging seivice is often lacking anu
minimizing cost is always a majoi factoi. 0ntil the ATP anu WTA uo theii job anu
ensuie the inteiests of the playeis by pioviuing consistent stiinging seivices
thioughout the toui, this unsatisfactoiy situation will continue to exist anu pio
playeis will suffei the consequences.

So, aftei that little uiveision, back to the official WilsonLuxilon stiinging team anu
the 2u1S 0S 0pen. Fiist, let's look at the numbei of playeis using a paiticulai
manufactuiei's stiings in eithei mains <# ciosses:

Nanufactuiei Nains % Cioss %
Babolat 6S 26.7 64 27.1
Bunlop 2 .8 2 .8
uosen 1 .4 1 .4
Beau 4 1.7 4 1.7
Isospeeu 4 1.7 4 1.7
Kiischbaum 2 .8 2 .8
Luxilon 12u Su.8 121 S1.S
Pacific S 1.S S 1.S
Polystai 1 .S 1 .4
Piince 2 .8 S 1.S
Signum Pio S 2.1 S 2.1
Solinco 2 .8 S 1.S
Technifibie 7 S.u 7 S.u
Topspin 1 .4 u u
Wilson 14 S.9 11 4.7
Yonex S 2.1 S 2.1
2S6 2S6

Anu now the numbei of playeis using the same manufactuiei's stiing in both mains
)%= ciosses:

Nanufactuiei %
Babolat SS 28.4
Bunlop 2 1.u
uosen 1 .S
Beau 4 2.u
Isospeeu 4 2.u
}iischbaum 2 1.u
Luxilon 1uS SS.1
Pacific S 1.S
Polystai 1 .S
Piince 2 1.u
Signum Pio 4 2.u
Solinco 2 1.u
Technifibie 7 S.6
Wilson 1 .S
Yonex S 1.S
194

This table shows that 76% of main-uiaw playeis use the same manufactuiei's
stiings in both mains anu ciosses (194 of 2S6). This uoesn't mean that they use the
same ,"#$%& - just the same >)%?@)A"?#1#B, stiing. We will look at actual stiings
latei.

Also, as noteu in all pievious analyses, theie aie moie top playeis (those playing in
the fiist iounu of the 0S 0pen) using Luxilon stiings than those using all othei
manufactuieis' combineu.

Now let's take a look at actual stiings. Fiist, playeis using a paiticulai sting in the
mains (numbeis in the fiist column aie the numbei of playeis using the stiing in
C<"D mains anu ciosses). The peicentages foi each stiing aie of the total foi that
manufactuiei. The peicentages foi each manufactuiei aie the total foi all
manufactuieis.

E)$% ,"#$%&,

F)C<*)"

Stiing Same stiing % Bybiiu % Total %
Fibei Toui 1 2 1 2
Buiiicane Toui 1 2 1 6 2 S
Natuial uut 11 24 2 11 1S 21
Pio Buiiicane S 17 S S
Pio Buiiicane Toui 6 1S S 28 11 17
Revenge 1 2 1 6 2 S
RPN Blast 19 42 S 28 24 S8
RPN Bual S 7 1 6 4 6
RPN Team S 7 S S
7G 4; 46 6 :5 28

H?%*<0

Black Wiuow 1 1
0thei 1 1
2 2

I<,1%

Poly Bieak 4 4

J1)=

Rip Contiol 1 1
Sonic Pio 2 1 S
5 4 7

K,<,011=

Black Fiie 1 1
Pulse Soft 1 1
Pulse Stiff 1 1
0thei 1 1
7 7

L$#,ADC)?>

Pio Line N2 2 2

M?N$*<%

4u 7 7 4 17 11 9
Ace 1 4 1 1
Alu Powei S6 S6 1S S4 69 S8
Alu Powei Fluoio S S S S
Alu Powei Rough 7 7 1 4 8 7
Alu Spin 1 1 1 1
N2 Pio 1 1 1 1
0iiginal 19 19 S 1S 22 18
Savage 1 4 1 1
Supeisense 1 4 1 1
TiN0 2 2 2 2
;: 74 27 43 423 G4

O)A$@$A

Poly Foice 0iiginal 1 1 2
Poly Foice Xtieme 1 1
4 2 5

O<*+,")#

Eneigy 4 4

O#$%A1

Beast XP 1 1
Toui Poly 1 1
2 2

!$&%?> O#<

Fiiestoim 1 1
uut 1 1
Poly Plasma 1 1
0thei 2 2
2 5 G

!<*$%A<

Toui Bite 2 2

P1AD%$@$C#1

Black Coue 2 2
Razoi Coue S S
Reu Coue Poly 1 1
Ruff Coue 1 1
8 8

P<0,0$%

Cybei Nax Rotation 4 4

Q$*,<%

Enuuio Pio 1 1
Natuial uut 1 12 1S
4 45 : 47 :

R<%1N

Poly Toui Pio 2 2
Poly Toui Spin 1 2 S
5 2 G

P<")*

484 :G 25:

0ui last analysis showeu 66% moie playeis using single-stiing iacquets as hybiius.
This time, the numbei is highei at 72%. So next time you heai a Tv commentatoi
tell you that pios piefei hybiius, you can shout at the top of youi lungs that they aie
talking thiough theii ieais anu that single-stiing useis outnumbei hybiiu useis by
almost S to 1..! It wont uo you any goou, of couise, but isn't it gieat to know bettei
than the 'expeits'.

A few fuithei comments on the numbeis above:

The high level of use of Wilson stiing in hybiius iathei than single-stiing iacquets is
almost entiiely uue to some pievious useis of gut in mains anu ciosses switching to
gut in a hybiiu with Luxilon 4u. Seiena Williams maue the switch to 4u at the enu of
last season anu finisheu a iemaikable yeai (at the age of S1) back at the top spot in
the iankings anu with an enviable collection of tiophies.

0vei Su% of playeis useu Luxilon in the mains - almost twice as many as the
neaiest iival, Babolat. Alu Powei iemaineu the most populai choice - as has been
the case foi the past 1u yeais.

RPN Blast iemains the mot populai Babolat stiing - no uoubt uue in laige pait to it
being the choice of Rafael Naual.

Next, we look at the numbei of playeis using specific stiings as ciosses:

S#<,, !"#$%&,

F)C<*)"

Fibei Toui 1 S 1 2
Buiiicane Toui 1 S 1 2
Natuial uut 2 S 2S 8S 2S S9
Poweigy 1 4 1 2
Pio Buiiicane 1 S 1 2
Pio Buiiicane Toui 6 16 1 4 7 11
Revenge 1 S 1 2
RPN Blast 19 S1 1 4 2u S1
RPN Bual S 8 S S
RPN Team S 8 S S
Excel 1 1
58 28 :7

H?%*<0

Black Wiuow 1 1
0thei 1 1
2 2

I<,1%

Natuial uut 4 4

J1)=

FibeiuEL 1 1
Rip Contiol 1 1
Sonic Pio 2 2
5 4 7

K,<,011=

Black Fiie 1 1
Pulse Soft 1 1
Pulse Stiff 1 1
0thei 1 1
7 7

L$#,ADC)?>

Pio Line N2 2 2

M?N$*<%

4u 7 7 4 16 11 9
Ace 1 4 1 1
Alu Powei S6 S6 9 6S S4
Alu Powei Fluoio S S 2 8 S 4
Alu Powei Rough 7 7 1 4 8 7
Alu Spin 1 1 1 4 2 2
N2 Pio 1 1 2 8 S 2
0iiginal 19 19 1 4 2u 17
0iiginal Rough 1 4 1 1
TiN0 2 2 S 12 S 4
;: 2G 424

O)A$@$A

Natuial uut 2 2
Poly Foice 0iiginal 1 1
4 2 5

O<*+,")#

Eneigy 4 4

O#$%A1

Beast XP 1 1
Natuial uut 1 1
Toui Poly 1 1
2 4 5

!$&%?> O#<

Blackline Powei 1 1
Fiiestoim 1 1
uut 1 1
0thei 2 2
2 5 G

!<*$%A<

Toui Bite 2 4 5

P1AD%$@$C#1

Black Coue 2 2
Razoi Coue S S
Reu Coue Poly 1 1
Ruff Coue 1 1
8 8

Q$*,<%

Natuial uut 1 6 7
NXT 2 2
NXT Toui 1 1
Sensation 1 1
4 43 44

R<%1N

Poly Toui Pio 2 2 4
Poly Toui Spin 1 1
5 2 G

P<")*

4:5 85 25:

27 playeis useu natuial gut as a mains stiing. S7 playeis useu gut as a cioss stiing.
}ust S playeis useu gut in both mains anu ciosses. The majoiity of those using a
hybiiu with gut in the mains (17 - 71%) useu a Luxilon cioss stiing. 0f those 8 useu
Alu Powei oi a ueiivative (such as Rough oi Fluoio) anu 4 useu 4u.

Bowevei of the playeis who useu gut in the mains, a slight majoiity (14) useu a
Babolat stiing in the ciosses - 9 Pio Buiiicane anu S RPN Blast. 1S useu Luxilon -
with Alu Powei accounting foi 9 of those.

I am going to iepeat a couple of paiagiaphs fiom my last stiing analysis:

I have pieviously gone to gieat lengths to investigate whethei theie is any
coiielation between tension selection anu iacquet, stiing, genuei, ianking, suiface,
etc. anu have nevei founu one. Naybe my statistical knowleuge oi tools aie
inauequate oi maybe I have yet to acciuentally stumble upon a set of conuitions that
woulu enable me to pieuict a playei's tension piefeience. I am, howevei, peisonally
ceitain that it will not happen anu that tension choice is a simple mattei of peisonal
piefeience - sometimes guiueu by how a playei fiist leaineu oi was taught - anu
piactically nothing else. The playeis incluueu in this analysis aie the best in the
woilu anu all have efficient anu effective swings anu use theii choice of equipment.
Yet theii choices aie as vaiieu (anu as pieuictable) as theii favoiite music - a few
will make the same choice but aie likely to be uiffeient in eveiy othei iespect.

The huge iange between highest anu lowest shoulu inuicate that it is futile foi a
iecieational playei to even think about what might be a 'goou' tension foi him baseu
upon what his favoiite pio is using. It is less obvious - but equally tiue - that he
shoulu not think that an 'aveiage' tension of SSlb is a goou iuea. New playeis aie, in
fact, much moie likely to finu SSlb a much 'bettei' feeling tension - anu be 'bettei'
staying theie theieaftei.

I iemain convinceu that it is totally pointless to take any notice of the tensions that
pio playeis - oi anyone else - uses. Theie is nothing close to a consensus at any level
of the game. As a iesult of talking to many pios at a high level, it seems that the
majoiity of those who use a high tension uo so because that is what they weie
taught to use anu theii game has been uevelopeu aiounu the use of such tensions.
Nost coaches that I have spoken to maintain the same attituue to stiing tension -
anu insist on putting a Sulb+ tension in beginneis' iacquets even if they aie S yeais
of age. Why. Because that's what "D1+ weie taught. By playeis anu coaches who
useu woouen iacquets anu natuial gut. Racquet anu stiing technology has evolveu
consiueiably - but, I think, few attituues have evolveu at the same iate. Stiings aie
seveial times stiffei than the uays of natuial gut anu tensions shoulu ieflect that
significant change. Ny auvice will always be to use as low a tension as is consistent
with contiolling the ball. Lowei tension = a softei, moie comfoitable (anu all-aiounu
bettei) feel.

Filippo volanuii continues to stiing in the miu-2us (yes, pounus..!). Be was one of
the few playeis to beat Rogei Feueiei at the height of his caieei (yes, using the same
tension..!). Big hitteis Lleyton Bewitt, }ack Sock anu Thomaz Bellucci all stiing in the
Sus. Equally poweiful guys like Nikhail Kukushkin, Fiank Bancevic anu Nikolai
Bavyuenko, anu net aitists like Bob anu Nike Biyan, aie in the low 4us - as is Nax
('The Beast') Niinyi..! If theie is some ieason that you can't contiol the ball using a
tension lowei than SSlb - as many 'expeits' woulu have you believe, these guys
uon't appeai to have heaiu that paiticulai message..!

0h, anu Naitina Bingis has leaineu a thing oi thiee since ietuining to the toui. She
is now stiinging in the miu-2us.

0K. I piomise to stay off my soap-box foi the iest of the analysis.

Beie aie some (useless) tension facts foi those who insist on finuing some
significance in them:

o Lowest = 26lb
o Bighest = 66lb
o The thiee highest stiingeis weie women anu the S lowest weie men. What
uo we make of that.
o The aveiage tension = S4.14lb
o Neuian = SSlb (the value in the centei of the iange)
o Noue = SSlb (the most common value, S2.9lb = 2Skg)

These values aie almost iuentical to those fiom the last analysis.

I have also lookeu at uiffeiences between tensions useu in mains anu ciosses. The
iesults aie veiy similai to the last analysis so, foi those of you inteiesteu in the
extent to which some pios stiing mains anu ciosses at uiffeient tensions, take a look
at that.

The next topic is stiing gauge. It is something that I have not lookeu at in uepth in
past analyses in spite of quite a few iequests to uo so. This was mainly because I was
of the opinion that gauge is unimpoitant. Bo I heai gasps of shock..! Why uo I think
so. Because playeis have little oi no choice in the gauge of theii stiing. In geneial, it
is the manufactuieis which ueciue the gauge of a paiticulai stiing that they choose
to manufactuie anu if a playei wants the stiing, he has to take it in whatevei gauge
the manufactuiei has ueteimineu. The foimulation anu constiuction of a stiing is
geneially to achieve a specific balance of powei, contiol, uuiability anu
feelcomfoit. The gauge of the stiing is one of the ways a manufactuiei can 'tune'
the stiing in ieaching a compiomise between uuiability (thickei) anu lively
peifoimance (thinnei) anu stiffness anu contiol (thickei) anu powei anu bite on the
ball (thinnei). But veiy few ventuie outsiue the magic aiea between 1.2mm anu
1.Smm which most believe pioviues the best combination of playability (whatevei
that means) anu uuiability. Luxilon is something of an exception in offeiing multiple
gauges of a numbei of its stiings but a single, fixeu gauge is much moie likely to be
the sole offeiing of most manufactuieis' stiings.

0nfoitunately, gauges useu by playeis at the 0S 0pen aie iecoiueu accoiuing to the
0S iuentification 'system' which is, at best, an appioximation of the ieal uiametei.
Each gauge numbei iepiesents a iange of uiameteis iathei than a specific one. But
the measuiement is complicateu by the inability of manufactuieis to agiee to what
the ianges shoulu be. To complicate matteis, some oveilapping of ianges occuis anu
theie aie exceptions (inuicateu by a lettei being auueu to the gauge numbei) wheie
the iange has been extenueu eithei up oi uown foi whatevei ieason. Bon't ask me
to explain oi justify it: how such a bizaiie 'system' evolveu - anu why it iemains in
use - is beyonu me. But that's what we have so let's see if we can leain anything
fiom the numbeis.

Below is a matiix of gauges useu by main-uiaw playeis at the 2u1S 0S 0pen. Reau
uown the columns foi the gauges useu in the mains anu acioss the iows foi gauges
useu in the ciosses. Foi example, if we wanteu to know how many playeis useu a 17
gauge stiing in the mains anu a 16 gauge stiing in the ciosses, we woulu ieau uown
the 17 column until we founu the cell that is the inteisection with the 16 iow. The
numbei is 9.

!"#$%& I)?&1 E)"#$N

uauge Nains 1S 16 17 18 P<")* T
Ciosses
1S S 5 4
16 14S 9 2 4G7 :G
17 11 S8 S 82 54
18 1 1 S 8 5
P<")* 5 4GG :6 43 25:
T 4 :: 2; 7

The cells iunning uiagonally thiough the centei of the matiix (coloieu puiple) aie
those showing the numbei of playeis using the same gauge in both mains anu
ciosses. The total is 2u9 (89%). The most piefeiieu combination is cleaily the
choice of 16 gauge stiings in both mains anu ciosses. 14S playeis (61%) maue this
choice.

So theie it is.

So what.

I have no iuea.

I have spent quite a lot of time (much moie than common sense tolu me I shoulu)
tiying to finu some coiielation between use of a paiticulai gauge oi combination of
gauges with paiticulai gioups oi types of playeis. Theie weie some cleai (anu
obvious) featuies: the most populai stiing among playeis is Luxilon Alu Powei; Alu
Powei is a 16 gauge stiing; so it is not too suipiising that 16 gauge stiings aie
iuentifieu on the matiix as a cleai favoiite. Apait fiom confiiming the obvious, the
effoit was a failuie with huge matiices anu 1s scatteieu all ovei them - leauing to
the conclusion that theie was no iuentifiable pattein.

I've uone what you askeu - so uon't ask me about gauges any moie..

We haven't lookeu at iacquets in past analyses - mainly because Luxilon uoes not
make iacquets (well, that is not quite tiue, we =$= piouuce a few piototypes about
1u yeais ago but ueciueu to focus 1uu% of oui R&B on oui coie piouuct - the stiing
- but I uo still have one of those black, anonymous beasts in a closet somewheie..).

So, heie is a bieakuown of iacquets useu by main-uiaw playeis that aie
manufactuieu by the 'Big S + 2' - Wilson, Babolat anu Beau + Piince anu Yonex:

Stiing type Babolat Beau Piince Wilson Yonex
Aeio Pio Biive 7
Aeio Pio Biive + S
Aeio Pio Biive Coitex S
Aeio Pio Biive uT S

Aeio Stoim 2
Aeio Stoim Toui S
Blaue Team BLX

1

Blaue Toui BLX

S
Blaue1u4

1
BLX Blaue 98 18x2u

18
BLX Blaue 98 Pink

6

Biablo

1
E zone Xi

2
exoS Black

1
exoS Toui

8
Extieme

4

Extieme Pio

S
Ezone

1
Flexpoint Rauical

1
}uice

6
K6.1 9S

1

kBlaue

2
kPio 0pen

1
LN Rauical

1
Nu Piestige

1

Nu Piestige Pio

1
Nu Rauical

1
0S Toui

1
0zone Toui

S
0zone Toui Lite

1

Pio.0pen.BLX

1
Pio.Toui.BLX

1
Piototype

1
Puie Biive 7
Puie Biive + S
Puie Biive Coitex 6
Puie Biive uT 11
Puie Biive uT+ 2
Puie Biive Rouuick uT 1

Puie Biive Team + 1
Puie Stoim S
Puie Stoim uT 7
Puie Stoim Toui + 1
RBiS 2uu

1
RBiS1uu

1
RBS uuS

1
RBSuu1

1
RQiS1toui

2
S fit a 1uS

1
Six.0ne.9S BLX

S
Six.0ne.BLX

7
Six.0ne.BLX Team

1
Six.0ne.BLX Toui

1

Speeu NP

S
Speeu Pio

1
Steam 1uu

6
Steam 96

2
Steam 99

S

Toui.BLX

S
v Coie 1uu

S
v Coie 98

1
v Coie Toui 97

1
Youtek Extieme Pio

1

YT Extieme

1
YT Instinct

4
YT Piestige NP

14
YT Piestige Pio

2

YT Rauical

S
YT Rauical Pio

2
:G 7; 4: 84 4G

So Wilson was the winnei, closely followeu by Babolat anu with Beau a iespectable
thiiu.

The iest:

Technifibie 6
Bunlop 6
Bonnay 2
Pio Kennex 1
Siiicon 2
Technifibie 2
volkl 1
0nknown 2

Anu, no, I uon't have any iuea why youi Big Bubba is not featuieu in the list.

Finally, a question has been askeu on the site (numbei S,S89) that seeks an
explanation foi playeis stiinging gut in a hybiiu with a much fiimei synthetic stiing
without making an allowance foi the uiffeience in fiimness by aujusting tension. So
I took a look anu heie's what I founu:

I?" E)$%, )%= !+%"D1"$A S#<,,1,

Cioss stiing uut tension Cioss tension Biffeience
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Su 48 -2
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui S7 SS -2
Babolat RPN Blast S4 S2 -2
Luxilon 4u SS SS -2
Luxilon 4u SS SS u
Luxilon 4u 64 6S -1
Luxilon 4u 66 64 -2
Luxilon Alu Powei SS SS u
Luxilon Alu Powei 44 44 u
Luxilon Alu Powei S2 S2 u
Luxilon Alu Powei SS SS -2
Luxilon Alu Powei S8 S8 u
Luxilon Alu Powei Fluoio S1 49 -2
Luxilon Alu Powei Fluoio SS SS -2
Luxilon Alu Powei Rough SS S1 -2
Luxilon Alu Spin Su 48 -2
Luxilon 0iiginal Rough S2 S4 +2
Luxilon TiN0 S1 46 -S
Luxilon TiN0 6u SS -S
Signum Pio Blackline Powei SS S2 -1
Signum Pio Fiiestoim 6u S8 -2
Solinco Toui Bite SS S1 -2
Yonex Poly Toui Pio 47 47 u

Summaiy:

Synthetic tension aujustment Playeis %
No aujustment 6 2S
Reuuction of 1 - 2 lb 1S 6S
Reuuction of Slb 2 8
Inciease of 2lb 1 4

It is not unusual foi pio playeis to ieuuce theii cioss stiing tension by a pounu oi
two. Theie is some iationale foi this: cioss stiings aie shoitei than mains anu
theiefoie feel stiffei if stiung at the same tension as the longei mains. A 2lb
ieuuction woulu be the appiopiiate aujustment foi this puipose anu some playeis
apply it. In ieal teims, howevei, a iacquet cannot be stiung so as to piouuce a
consistent 2lb ieuuction - the piocess is much too impiecise. But some pios uo it
anyway. Anu I think that is what we aie seeing heie. A Slb ieuuction on the othei
hanu is unusual anu must iepiesent the playei's attempt to balance the
chaiacteiistics of the two stiings. A Slb ieuuction woulu be a step in the 'iight'
uiiection. Which means that just 2 of the 24 playeis using gut in the mains anu a
synthetic in the ciosses aie making any kinu of effoit to match the chaiacteiistics of
the veiy uissimilai stiings. That suipiises me..!

I?" S#<,,1, )%= !+%"D1"$A E)$%,

Nain stiing uut tension Nain tension Biffeience
Babolat Buiiicane Toui 6u S6 -4
Babolat Pio Buiiicane S8 S8 u
Babolat Pio Buiiicane SS 6S +1u
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui SS S1 -2
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui S1 S1 u
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui SS SS -2
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui S2 S4 +2
Babolat Pio Buiiicane Toui 6u 6u u
Babolat Revenge SS SS u
Babolat RPN Blast S1 S1 u
Babolat RPN Blast S1 SS +2
Babolat RPN Blast SS SS +2
Babolat RPN Blast S7 S7 u
Babolat RPN Bual SS SS u
uosen Poly Bieak S7 S9 +2
Luxilon 4u SS SS +2
Luxilon 4u S7 SS -2
Luxilon Alu Powei 49 S1 -2
Luxilon Alu Powei SS SS u
Luxilon Alu Powei SS S7 -2
Luxilon Alu Powei 64 66 +2
Luxilon Alu Powei SS SS +2
Luxilon Alu Powei Rough 46 49 +S
Luxilon 0iiginal S7 6u +S
Luxilon Savage SS S1 -2
Pacific Poly Foice 0iiginal SS SS +2
Pacific Poly Foice Extieme SS SS +2
Signum Pio Fiiestoim 6u 62 +2
Signum Pio Poly Plasma 49 S2 +S
Yonex Poly Toui Spin S1 SS +4
Yonex Poly Toui Spin S1 SS +2

Synthetic tension aujustment Playeis %
No aujustment 1u 29
Reuuction of 1 - 2 lb 7 21
Reuuction of 4lb 1 S
Inciease of 2lb 11 S2
Inciease of S - 4 lb 4 12
Inciease of 1ulb 1 S

Now, let's look at playeis using gut in the ciosses.

A similai piopoition of playeis, - 29% compaieu to 2S% - maue no aujustment of
tension. But that's wheie the similaiity enus. 0nly 21% - compaieu to 6S% -
ieuuceu the tension of the synthetic stiing to compensate foi the uiffeience in
stiffness. Insteau, S2% actually incieaseu the tension of the synthetic stiing by a
couple of pounus. It woulu appeai that this is just playeis following theii 'noimal'
piactice of having mains a couple of pounus highei than the ciosses - anu taking no
account of the fact that they aie putting gut, iathei than anothei synthetic, in the
ciosses. Theie weie a fuithei 12% who incieaseu the synthetic tension by S-4lb..!
Naybe this is uelibeiate anu they know what they aie uoing. I can think of a few
ieasons why someone might want to uo this: foi example, to 'isolate' the stiffei
mains anu allow them to move fieely against the softei ciosses which aie meiely
suppoiting the basic shape of the stiingbeu - with the mains uoing all the woik. If
that $, the intent, then this woulu be a means of effecting it. 0n the othei hanu, it is
essentially taking the noimally beneficial chaiacteiistics of the gut out of the mix as
fai as cieating iesilience anu powei aie conceineu. I woulu have thought that, if this
U), the intent, it woulu also be ieflecteu in the case of a playei using two synthetics
of uiffeient stiffness. But this uoes not seem to be the case.

Then theie is the lone playei who incieaseu tension of the ,+%"D1"$A stiing by
1ulb..! I have no explanation foi the iationale behinu such a uecision. Except to
iesoit to my funuamental philosophy that all playeis - at whatevei level - shoulu uo
whatevei feels iight foi them. Anu, as we have seen in oui analysis of pio level
tensions above, theie is nothing close to a consensus on what is the 'iight' tension to
use.

Apait fiom oui lone exception, I am left with the suspicion that playeis aie simply
uoing theii 'noimal' thing anu ieuucing the A#<,, tension a little without giving any
thought to the unique chaiacteiistics anu neeus of mixing gut anu synthetic stiings
in a hybiiu. If so, they aie eithei unueimining the effectiveness of theii stiingbeu oi
uiffeiences in tension ieally uon't make a lot of piactical uiffeience. This woulu, of
couise, explain the huge uiffeiences in tension useu by pios of veiy similai neeus,
abilities anu styles. Anu make those of us who spenu oui time wonueiing about such
things in neeu of bettei things to uo with oui time.!

____

So theie you have it. Anothei iaie insight into the woilu of pio stiings anu stiinging.
What can be leaineu. Noie pios choose Luxilon stiings than all othei
manufactuieis combineu. 0bviously, it is foi the sheei peifoimance of the stiings.
But many tell me that they uo so also because of theii concein foi a 'pieuictable'
iacquet anu Luxilon's investment in cutting-euge technology anu its stiingent
quality contiol, which iesults in a high level of piouuct consistency. A chain is only
as stiong as its weakest link anu that applies equally to tennis stiings. Pooi piouuct
consistency iesults in weak spots that will shoiten uuiability anu negatively affect
peifoimance.

Finally, I encouiage you to take a look at pievious analyses wheie some aspects of
pio stiinging aie coveieu in moie uepth. They have not been coveieu again heie
because many of them have not changeu significantly. Foi example, the iange of
actual tensions useu is "all ovei the place" - as it always was - anu beais no ielation
whatsoevei to the type, size oi genuei of the playei oi hishei swing-style oi game.

So, uon't look to the pios foi seciets oi clues about the tension at which to stiing
youi iacquet. No-one knows how a iacquet feels bettei than you. Bon't be afiaiu to
expeiiment with stiings anu tensions until you finu what you like but when you uo,
focus on consistency anu pieuictability. Bon't constantly look foi the holy giail of
tennis stiings - theie isn't one. Above all, uon't listen to anyone who tells you that
you "can't" tiy anything that you want to tiy. Anu uon't listen to stiingeis that tell
you what you shoulu anu shoulu not uo unless they have watcheu you play anu also
have a veiy cleai unueistanuing of youi neeus. It's youi money anu youi spoit. Bo
what you want with it.

The author of this article, Jeff Davies, lives in Orlando, FL, USA and was
Director of Player Services and manager of Luxilons professional event stringing service
prior to Wilson becoming the exclusive global distributor of Luxilon strings in 2006.
He continues to manage the Luxilon.com web site and answers
string-related questions on the site currently question number 3,392.
You can reach him at jeff @ luxilon racquet sports . com (no spaces)
Please note that this article is copyright (2013) by Jeff Davies
and may not be reproduced in full or in part without written consent.
Normal excerpts may be quoted by recognized media outlets
with appropriate credit.

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