Hybrid Stringing – Roger Federer’s Stringing Method of Choice

If in case you have ever performed with a pure intestine string earlier than, you’ll possible have discovered it to be probably the most playable and arm pleasant string going. Nonetheless, it’s costly and in the event you’re a heavy topspin participant, the sturdiness of the strings comes into query.

On the flip facet, polyesters present significantly better sturdiness, while providing unrivalled ranges of spin and management. However the strings are unforgiving on the arm and have precipitated numerous gamers issues with tennis elbow.

If solely there was a approach to mix the perfect qualities of different types of strings while lessening every of their limitations in the identical racquet.

Welcome to the world of hybrid tennis stringing. It’s additionally the string setup of alternative for Roger Federer so let’s have a look.

What’s a Hybrid?

A hybrid string setup is using two completely different strings within the mains and cross strings of a tennis racquet.

This may be so simple as utilizing two completely different gauges of the identical string however is extra generally executed with two utterly completely different string supplies. For instance, natural gut with a polyester.

Hybrid setups are extraordinarily widespread on the ATP and WTA professional excursions proper now with gamers selecting a powerful, endurance-type string within the mains like Babolat RPM Blast or Luxilon and pairing it with a softer string within the crosses resembling pure intestine or a multifilament.

Why Do Gamers Select To String With a Hybrid Setup?

About 80% of the playability in your racquet comes from the primary strings, subsequently the mains are normally the primary to interrupt.

If you happen to put a polyester string within the mains that’s the string that’s doing a lot of the work and due to its sturdiness, will enhance the longevity of the string job in addition to offering entry to very large spin and management that these kind of strings supply.

Coupling the sturdy string with softer strings within the crosses will lower the harshness that you just’d get with a full polyester string mattress. And on the similar time negate the poorer sturdiness {that a} full mattress of pure intestine provides. 

So while it’s not mathematically the perfect of each worlds as one string continues to be doing extra of the work, it’s nonetheless an in depth compromise whereby you get the advantages of each strings and offset the restrictions they every have.

Both limiting the facility of intestine mains or wanting extra spin however nonetheless having management is why most professionals use a hybrid, however for the membership participant, the opposite profit is value.

A hybrid string job can decrease the price of an costly string. Let’s say you’re a large fan of pure intestine, however the hefty price ticket coupled with frequent restringing makes it too pricey. As a substitute, utilizing a less expensive, harder string within the crosses will enhance sturdiness and decrease the general value.

Will it play precisely like a full set mattress of pure intestine? No. Nevertheless it’s habitable and the discount in playability doesn’t outweigh the cost-saving for lots of gamers. 

By choosing completely different hybrid mixtures of string, gamers can fine-tune the playability of their racquet. Consolation, sturdiness, liveliness and management can all be tweaked so that you get a mix of the 2 and for lots of gamers that mix is preferable.

Roger Federer’s Hybrid String Setup

In some methods, Roger Federer is the grandfather of the hybrid string setup as he’s been utilizing it since 2002 with a mix of Wilson pure intestine and Luxilon ALU Energy Tough. 

Federer’s precise setup is named a reverse hybrid as he makes use of pure intestine in his important strings and Luxilon within the cross strings. That setup provides a livelier really feel on contact but in addition provides loads of spin potential and has paved the way in which for gamers like Serena Williams, Kei Nishikori and Grigor Dimitrov to additionally use a hybrid string setup.

Having pure intestine within the mains means the playability is extra snug as a result of the emphasis is on the extra forgiving strings. It additionally provides entry to extra energy because of the properties of pure intestine. The Luxilon within the crosses tempers the facility of the pure intestine and offers Federer entry to extra spin and management.

Ought to You Copy Federer’s Hybrid String Setup?

For gamers who aren’t string breakers, don’t thoughts restringing usually or want a softer really feel oriented string mattress then you’ll like Federer’s setup.

In fact, sturdiness is just not as spectacular, however there’s better really feel and Roger Federer doesn’t fear about breaking strings as he will get a freshly strung racquet out the sport earlier than new balls.

Personally, I discover Federer’s setup feels and performs the perfect of any hybrid I’ve tried. The polyester tempers the facility of the intestine and you might be nonetheless in a position to impart a number of spin on the ball with out placing an excessive amount of pressure on the arm because of joint friendliness of the pure intestine.

The one unfavourable is value, in the event you use a excessive finish coated intestine and a high-end slick poly like Luxilon, just like the pre-packaged Champions Selection then the string value alone is like $40. Alu tough additionally frays intestine shortly because of the ridged floor.

Ought to I String with a Hybrid Setup?

Earlier than you leap the gun and go purchase a set of Wilson’s Champion Selection, you should ask your self the next:

What do I wish to get out of this alteration in string setup?

If you happen to don’t have an concept of what you might be searching for, it’s troublesome to see outcomes and you find yourself with a nasty stringing expertise.

I like to think about hybrid stringing as discovering a stability and tempering the properties of 1 string with one other and in my expertise, most gamers swap to a hybrid setup with the intention to enhance sturdiness. However any of the beneath are widespread causes:

Let’s have a look at the sturdiness angle. In case you are sporting by artificial strings, multifilaments or pure intestine faster than you’d like (or your funds aren’t having fun with it) then you’ll most likely look into switching to a polyester string.

Earlier than going pull polyester, you may wish to attempt poly mains with artificial intestine (or no matter you might be at the moment utilizing) within the crosses.

As I discussed above, the mains do a lot of the work, so solely switching these to polyester could be all you want. Plus, you’ll nonetheless have the facility, consolation and really feel of the artificial intestine cross strings. You may nonetheless break strings, but it surely ought to take noticeably longer. 

If you happen to’re a full polyester participant and are beginning to really feel it on the arm or joints, then mixing your poly mains with a pure intestine or gentle multifilament will take that harshness away and luxury will enhance dramatically. 

That is the setup Andy Murray makes use of with Luxilon within the mains and a pure intestine within the crosses. This can be a good setup, however in the event you aren’t having arm issues, then you’ll want to determine if paying for a premium cross string that isn’t including a lot in the way in which of playability is value it in comparison with an artificial intestine.

If in case you have been utilizing a full mattress of pure intestine and are struggling to search out the strains, then you possibly can take Federer’s method and put a polyester string within the crosses. The upper stiffness of the poly reduces the facility of the racquet so that you achieve extra management. One factor to pay attention to right here is with a tough textured polyester the poly will chew by the pure intestine shortly.

So must you string hybrid? A hybrid setup actually is smart for lots of gamers. Most leisure participant will be unable to deal with a full set of polyester due to the stiffness and lack of dwell time on the strings. Subsequently going polyester within the mains with an artificial intestine or multifilament tends to be the setup that I like to recommend for almost all of gamers.

What String Rigidity Ought to You String A Hybrid At?

As you possibly can see from Federer’s instance above, you possibly can vary the tension between strings. The overall rule most gamers comply with is that softer, longer important strings must be strung tighter than the shorter poly cross strings to deliver the the string mattress to a extra proportional pressure.

The opposite principle right here is the scale of the ‘candy spot’ will increase. I don’t just like the time period candy spot, but it surely’s generally used. For pressure variance, goal for 2-3lbs and don’t go above 5lbs.

Nonetheless, that is certainly not a ‘legislation’ and lots of gamers string the mains and crosses at an identical tensions whether or not it’s a hybrid, one piece, 2 knots for 4. So it varies considerably amongst gamers.

Hybrids Utilizing Totally different String Gauges

One different hybrid setup is to make use of two completely different gauges of the identical string. Once more that is executed to extend sturdiness, consolation, or spin.

An instance right here may very well be, you’re a large fan of 17 gauge Technifibre X-One Biphase but it surely breaks too shortly.

Fairly than switching utterly straight to a full set of thicker 16 gauge X-One Biphase, put the thicker string within the mains, and preserve your most popular 17 within the crosses.

The result could be that you just get the added sturdiness with no whole change in really feel.

Professional Gamers That String With a Hybrid Setup

Know any extra participant setups? Let me know within the feedback and I’ll add them in.

Felix Auger Aliassime has VS Contact within the mains and RPM Workforce within the crosses. It’s his coach that urged this mix for him. He wished to deliver Felix a dynamic string so he may use his contact extra successfully quite than relying solely on uncooked energy. This was a major transfer to organize him for the transition from juniors to ATP the place there are extra kinds of play than he’s used to. The hybrid stringing allowed him to take his recreation to the subsequent degree in a short time. François-Xavier Quesse, Babolat

Beneficial Hybrid Tennis String Setups for 2020

The recognition and demand for hybrids imply that many string producers promote prepackaged units. As a substitute of needing to purchase two full units of various strings and slicing them in half, firms are placing half-sets in a single bundle.

This, in fact, makes it a lot less complicated for the experimenting shopper and the stringer. Though do remember there’s a comfort cost right here so that you do pay bit further.

There’s all kinds of hybrid string mixtures that can be utilized, and like I’ve stated on a number of posts, deciding on the precise one for you boils down to private desire. What works for one participant may not work for the subsequent.

This presents one of many drawbacks of hybrids: the string prospects are limitless. With so many kinds of string in the marketplace, a participant can go loopy trying to find the right mixture. 

Three Hybrids I Suggest:

Remaining Ideas

Experimenting with hybrid stringing may assist you achieve an edge in your opponents so in the event you haven’t tried it and really feel like your recreation is lacking one thing, it’s value testing.

As I’ve stated, take into account what you should enhance in your recreation (i.e. extra energy, extra management, much less restrings on account of breakages, extra consolation, and so forth.), and work along with your stringer to supply a hybrid that may ship it. You might discover that hybrid stringing was the lacking piece in your tennis puzzle.

Does that imply hybrid stringing is a few magic bullet? In fact not. A full mattress of artificial intestine works simply fantastic for a lot of gamers. For superior gamers, a full set of polyester is usually a more sensible choice.

In truth, the know-how developments imply some polyesters truly really feel and reply fairly properly lately. Some gamers are even stringing with two completely different polys, a tough and a easy. Not one thing I’ve tried but it surely’s on the to-do checklist.

Are you a fan of hybrid tennis strings? If that’s the case, what’s your favorite hybrid mixture? Let me know within the feedback.