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Most players approach string selection the wrong way. They either copy whatever the player in the next court is using, default to whatever the pro shop loads on the machine, or spend time researching racquets for weeks and then pick a string in thirty seconds. None of those approaches work particularly well.
The string is the only component that comes into contact with the ball. It determines power, control, spin, feel, and whether your arm holds up through a long season. Getting it right does not require an engineering degree, but it does require working through a few decisions in the right order. This guide walks you through that process.
Before anything else, your playing level and physical situation narrow the field significantly. The string that suits a UTR 12 college player generating heavy topspin from the baseline has almost nothing in common with the right setup for a 55-year-old 3.5 NTRP player who plays twice a week and has a history of elbow issues. Both are legitimate players with legitimate needs, but those needs point in completely different directions.
If you are a beginner or casual recreational player, a multifilament or synthetic gut string is the right starting category. These strings give you power without requiring you to generate it yourself, they are arm-friendly, and they provide enough playability to develop your game without the frustration of a stiff, unforgiving setup.
If you play at the intermediate to advanced competitive level, around 4.0 NTRP and above, polyester co-polys are almost certainly where you need to be. You can generate your own pace, you benefit from the control and spin access that shaped polys provide, and your swing speed is high enough to unlock what the material is designed to do.
If you have arm sensitivity, regardless of playing level, that has to be factored into the decision before anything else. A string that causes pain is not a viable option, however good its other characteristics are. Arm-friendly options include quality multifilaments, softer co-poly formulations, and hybrid setups that soften the impact without giving up the control of polyester mains.
Once you understand your playing context, material is the first concrete decision.
Polyester (co-poly) is the dominant material in competitive tennis from the club level upward. It is a firm, low-powered monofilament that gives players control and access to spin in exchange for generating their own pace. Shaped co-polys, with four, six, or eight sides rather than a round profile, grip the ball on contact and snap back quickly, which is the mechanism that produces topspin. For competitive players who hit hard and value consistency, polyester is the obvious starting point.
TRU PRO's Pure Rush is a six-sided co-poly built for players who want strong spin access and directional control without the arm harshness that comes with stiffer poly options. It is one of the more accessible-shaped polys on the market in terms of feel across a range of swing speeds, making it a practical everyday choice for competitive club players through college-level play.
Multifilament strings are constructed from thousands of bonded microfibers, which gives them a softer, more elastic feel than polyester. They are the closest synthetic approximation of natural gut, providing good power and significantly better arm comfort than co-polys. Players with arm issues, players who have not yet developed high swing speed, and recreational players who want genuine feel without the complexity of polyester all do well with multifilament. TRU PRO's LUX SUPREME sits in this category, offering a performance-oriented multifilament option with real arm-friendly characteristics.
Synthetic gut is nylon, typically a solid core with outer wraps. It is the most affordable option and provides adequate performance for casual play. Players at the beginning stages of the game or those who play infrequently and simply want a functional setup are the right audience for synthetic gut. It is not competitive at a club or tournament level.
Natural gut is the historical benchmark: best tension stability, softest feel, strongest power of any string type. It is expensive and moisture-sensitive, which is why its primary role today is as the main string in hybrid setups for players who want the comfort and tension stability of gut combined with the control of a polyester cross.
Gauge refers to string thickness. The numbering system in the US runs from 15 (thickest) to 19 (thinnest), but because gauge designations are not standardized across manufacturers, the millimeter measurement is more reliable.
Thinner strings, generally in the 1.15mm to 1.25mm range, produce more power, more spin access, and more feel at impact. The string deflects more on contact with the ball, which creates a more elastic, responsive sensation. The trade-off is durability — thinner strings break faster, particularly for players who generate heavy topspin.
Thicker strings, in the 1.27mm to 1.35mm range, last longer and offer more control on hard swings. They feel slightly firmer and produce less free spin, but for players who break strings frequently, stepping up in gauge is often the most cost-effective first adjustment before moving to a different string entirely.
The practical sweet spot for most competitive players is between 1.20mm and 1.28mm. If you are not sure where to start, 1.25mm is a reliable midpoint that works across most playing styles in the intermediate to advanced range. From there, adjust based on how your setup feels and how quickly strings are breaking.
Tension describes how tightly the string is pulled through the frame during stringing, measured in pounds or kilograms. Every racquet has a manufacturer-recommended tension range printed on the frame, and stringing within that range is the right starting point for most players.
Higher tension produces a firmer stringbed with more control and less power. The ball spends less time in contact with the strings on impact, which reduces the trampoline effect. Aggressive players who already generate their own pace often prefer higher tension because it adds predictability to hard swings.
Lower tension creates a softer, more elastic stringbed with more power and longer dwell time. The ball sits on the strings fractionally longer before release, which adds spin potential and a more forgiving feel on impact. Most polyester users string at lower tensions than they would with multifilament because the firmness of the material already provides the control, and lower tension adds back some comfort and accessibility.
A practical starting point for co-poly strings is around 45 to 52 pounds. Players wanting more control from the setup can go slightly higher. Players with arm sensitivity should go lower rather than try to compensate through string choice alone. One important thing to keep in mind: tension drops immediately after stringing and continues dropping with use. Playing on strings that have been in the frame for three months at an initial tension of 50 pounds is not a 50-pound setup. This is why restringing frequency matters as much as the initial tension you choose.
A hybrid string job uses two different strings in the same racquet, one type for the mains and another for the crosses. It is not exclusively a professional tour practice. Any competitive player can use a hybrid to combine the benefits of two different materials in a single setup.
The main string carries about 80 percent of the performance influence in a hybrid, because the mains are what the ball actually contacts most directly on groundstrokes. Choosing a firm co-poly main with a softer cross string allows you to keep the control and spin of polyester while softening the impact feel and extending the overall lifespan of the setup.
TRU PRO's Ghost Wire is designed specifically for the cross string role in a hybrid. Its smooth, round profile reduces friction against the main string, improves string movement and snapback, and meaningfully increases dwell time and ball pocketing compared to a full poly bed. Players using Pure Rush mains with Ghost Wire crosses report a combination that feels noticeably more arm-friendly and pocketed without losing the spin and directional control of the main string.
Within the co-poly category specifically, the cross-section profile of the string affects spin and durability in ways worth understanding.
Round strings produce a smooth, consistent stringbed that slides easily and snaps back well, which is part of what generates spin. They tend to last longer because the round edges do not grind against each other as quickly as sharper profiles.
Shaped strings, with four, six, or more distinct edges, bite the ball more aggressively on contact, which increases spin access at any given swing speed. The trade-off is that the same edges that grip the ball grind against each other during play, which shortens the string's physical lifespan compared to a round version of the same material.
For most competitive players, a shaped main and a round or softer cross is the practical balance between spin access and longevity in a hybrid setup.
Most players restring far less often than they should. A commonly used rule of thumb is to restring as many times per year as you play per week. A player who plays three times a week should restring at least three times per year. For co-poly users who play regularly, that number should be higher.
Polyester strings lose tension faster than any other material. A setup that has gone dead does not just feel worse — the loss of elasticity means every impact transmits more shock directly into the frame and into your arm. Playing on dead poly for months is one of the most common contributors to chronic arm issues in competitive players. If your strings feel hard and lifeless before they break, that is the signal to restring, not a coincidence to ignore.
A practical schedule for competitive club players using co-poly strings is every 15 to 20 hours of play, regardless of whether the strings have broken. That window keeps the setup in the range where the material is actually performing as intended.
Work through the decisions in the order they actually matter: playing level and physical situation first, then material, then gauge, then tension, then whether a hybrid makes sense for your setup.
If you are unsure where to start with TRU PRO strings specifically, the String Selector Tool walks through your situation and returns a recommendation based on playing level, style, and what you are looking to get from the string. The Demo Package is also a practical way to test multiple strings before committing to a reel — eight sets at a price point that makes experimentation affordable.
For a deeper look at how the different string types compare across performance categories, the TRU PRO Tennis String Guide covers comparisons, tension guides, and lab data in one place.
String selection guide
Find your player profile in the left column and read across for the full recommendation.
| Player profile | String type | Gauge | Tension | Hybrid | TRU PRO pick |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beginner New or casual player Plays 1–2x per week, still building technique, no arm issues | Synthetic gut or multifilament | 16g 1.28–1.30mm | 52–58 lbs Mid-range | Not needed | Any affordable nylon or multifilament. Focus on feel over brand. |
Recreational Arm sensitivity or injury history Any level, tennis elbow or wrist/shoulder concerns | Multifilament or soft co-poly hybrid | 16–17g 1.23–1.30mm | 48–54 lbs Lower end | Optional | Arm-friendly multifilament with genuine performance feel |
Intermediate Competitive all-court player 4.0–4.5 NTRP, plays 2–4x per week, balanced game | Co-poly shaped, softer formulation | 17g 1.25mm | 47–53 lbs Start mid, adjust | Optional | Balanced spin and control, arm-friendly, strong tension stability |
Intermediate Competitive spin-focused baseliner 4.0–5.0 NTRP, heavy topspin game, needs extra ball bite | Co-poly 8-star spin profile | 17–18g 1.20–1.25mm | 47–52 lbs Start mid, adjust | Optional | 8-star profile for maximum spin bite, arm-friendly, excellent pocketing |
Advanced Tournament or college player 4.5–7.0 NTRP / UTR 8+, all-court game, restrings frequently | Co-poly full bed or hybrid | 16–17g 1.25–1.28mm | 45–52 lbs Adjust to frame | Recommended | Shaped poly main + round soft cross. Balanced spin, pocketing, arm-friendly |
Advanced Heavy topspin baseliner UTR 9+, aggressive baseline game, maximum spin and bite the priority | Co-poly 8-star spin profile | 16–17g 1.25–1.30mm | 45–52 lbs Adjust to frame | Recommended | 8-star profile maximizes spin bite. Ghost Wire cross adds pocketing and comfort |
Advanced Competitive with arm sensitivity Strong player, needs control but cannot tolerate stiff poly full bed | Soft co-poly in hybrid setup | 17–18g 1.18–1.25mm | 44–49 lbs Lower end | Essential | Thinner gauge softens impact. Hybrid cross adds comfort without losing spin |
Advanced Frequent string breaker Breaking strings every 1–2 weeks, durability a priority | Co-poly thicker gauge, reel recommended | 15–16g 1.28–1.33mm | 48–54 lbs Standard range | Not needed | Thicker gauge adds durability. Reel brings cost per string job down significantly |
Quick reference
| Gauge | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 15g | 1.33mm | Heavy hitters, frequent breakers |
| 16g | 1.28–1.30mm | Competitive players, durability focus |
| 17g ★ | 1.25mm | Most competitive players — best balance |
| 18g | 1.18–1.20mm | Max feel and spin, arm-sensitive players |
| Range (lbs) | Effect | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| 40–46 | Max power, soft feel | Arm issues, beginners |
| 47–52 ★ | Balanced for co-poly | Most competitive players |
| 53–57 | More control, firmer | Advanced, fast swing speeds | Multifilament / natural gut only |
| 58–62 | Max control, less power | Multifilament / natural gut only |
String selection guide
Find your player profile and read across for the full recommendation.
Quick reference
| Gauge | Size | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 15g | 1.33mm | Heavy hitters, string breakers |
| 16g | 1.28–1.30mm | Competitive, durability focus |
| 17g ★ | 1.25mm | Most competitive — best balance |
| 18g | 1.18–1.20mm | Max feel, arm-sensitive players |
| Range (lbs) | Effect | Suited to |
|---|---|---|
| 40–46 | Max power, soft feel | Arm issues, beginners |
| 47–52 ★ | Balanced for co-poly | Most competitive players |
| 53–57 | More control, firmer | Advanced, fast swings | Multifilament / gut only |
| 58–62 | Max control | Multifilament / gut only |
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