2016 string comparison

Taking the last string related post a step further, here's a comparison between some strings I consider interesting in 2016. Again, I made the highest value for each string property a 1, and the lowest a 0. Now we can somewhat easily see how they compare to each other:

(Click image to enlarge)



Takeaways:

The Babolat RPM Blast is pretty stiff, gives back a decent amount of energy, but doesn't do its name justice in terms of spin potential. Might be due for an update after almost 4 years on the market?

WeissCANNON's new Ultra Cable very much opens up the spin potential spectrum, making previous "spin monsters" like the Tour Bite or Cyclone look pretty average on paper. Based on my impressions it seems a bit spinnier, but not as much as the numbers suggests. It does eat up a bunch of power on impact. In general, I'm also starting to wonder at what point there are diminishing returns in terms of adding more RPMs to the ball...

The Tecnifibre Black Code 4S looks like a great all-round string on paper. I liked the original Black Code back in 2009. There's a short-term review here - felt pretty stiff, and gave me decent but not crazy spin. Tour Bite and Cyclone still seem grippier to me.

The Gamma Motos have received great reviews, which the numbers here seem to validate. In my tests, I haven't been able to dial in the tension yet. They seemed to lack power - when strung somewhat tightly they were all about control, and when strung somewhat loosely it was tough to get shots past the service line. Will give each Moto another shot though.

Solinco's Tour Bite appears to be noticeable softer in 1.20 than in 1.25, and should deliver a tad more spin too. I've played the 1.25 for a while but ended up finding it too firm in my RF 97 - so the 1.20 might be an alternative after all. UPDATE: comparison here.

The Völkl Cyclone looks like a great all-around string and still plays like one. My subjective findings regarding the Cyclone Tour are confirmed in the numbers: it felt very comfortable, but swallowing most of my built-up momentum on impact. The spin rating seems off - it definitely did not appear more spin-friendly to me than the standard Cyclone or the Tour Bite.

I've played Kirschbaum's red Pro Line II for a while, and found that color to be as soft as licorice (vs. the black one). So assuming Tennis Warehouse measured the black one here, ending up with a relatively high stiffness measure. Both definitely lack a bit of ball bite for me, for example causing my second serve to sail just a bit long.

Loved a loosely strung Silverstring to counter the stiffness of the Wilson BLX Tour 90 for a while, but was also looking for a bit more more ball grab there. In this group, it marks the low end of the spin spectrum, it however is relatively soft and bouncy. Now I'm quite excited about experimenting with the Black 5 Edge, which should also provide a good bit more power.

The classic Luxilon Alu Power is still somewhat low powered, paired with a low spin rating. It might still be an option if you hit out hard and flat like DelPo, and see your string as a tool to keep your shots in the court.

The now popular (and expensive) 4G marks the high end of stiffness and energy return, but also with low no spin potential due to little ball grip. I didn't include the 4G Rough here since the spin potential rating isn't much higher either. So that string is really about crushing the ball, which Serena seems to like - as Wilson likes to point out :)

So that's a bit of an overview for you. Personally, I'll stick with the orange Cyclone for match play, while experimenting with the Black 5 Edge, the Moto Soft, and the Black Code 4S in practice.

Thanks again to TW for publishing their string performance database. I again chose a reference tension of 51 lbs. You can find definitions of the properties here.

WeissCANNON Ultra Cable review

Gauge: 1.23mm

Tension: 21/20 kgs (~46 / 44 lbs) for clay court at moderate temperature, strung with Wise Tension Head, slowest speed, constant pull

Racquet: Wilson Pro Staff RF97 Autograph

Estimated number of ball contacts to date: 1,000



Stringing: Tough! String is so edgy it would slip through the clamps (despite tightening), and at times even through the tension head. Also cut into the fingers a bit. The sharpness reminded me a bit of the Dunlop Black Widow, which however wouldn't slip, and seemed stiffer.

Playing: Spin is pretty good, but not as extreme as the rating would suggest. It did feel like the string eats up a good amount of power on impact. That made it somewhat comfortable, but didn't allow me to hit a heavy ball. I switched back to racquets strung with the Tour Bite and the Cyclone for comparison, and found both strings to deliver more power, provide more solid feedback, and produce a similar amount of spin.

Personal takeaway: Switching to the Ultra Cable would sacrifice too much power without overcompensating that with additional spin. Wouldn't enjoy stringing it frequently either. Will stick with the orange Cyclone for now. 

General thoughts: I can't shake the impression that the Ultra Cable might have been developed to top the "spin potential" list. Tennis Warehouse calculates spin potential using string-to-string friction and ball grab, both of which seem to be very high - subjectively as well. I'm not sure whether many players would stick to the string for the long run. Appreciate the effort though - the Ultra Cable is probably going to push other manufacturers to come up with competitors, and maybe WeissCANNON's next iteration will be a long-term winner...

Too see how this string performs in context, check out my comparison of interesting strings in 2016.

Practicing for the long run

[BETA post, wanted to get the content out, happy to rework and/or go into detail later if there's interest.]

As we get older, we tend to get wiser, but unfortunately also slower, less endurant, and might not be able to practice as much. So besides from staying in shape and working to overcome the downward trends, what else can we do to maintain our level of play, and maybe even evolve as a player? How to keep the game as enjoyable, or make it even more so?

To get there. I'd assume the 2 most important factors are optimizing energy input vs. output, and creating a solid base level of performance that you can count on even with little practice. Here are 5 top of mind pointers that might help you with both:

Technique: Is there any stroke you can simplify? The more complicated, the more energy is needed, and the more prone to inconsistencies, errors, and injuries. Back in 2003, I invested a winter season to change my forehand grip from close to Berasategui-style to a more neutral one like Roger's. Very glad I did. Now in 2016, I'm working on removing a step and a good chunk of back-bend from my serve and cleaning up the swing path. If you like to hit standing sideways, you might also consider practicing open-stance strokes to save a couple of steps per shot.

Timing is crucial to ensure that most of the energy you build up goes into the ball. Also, over time you might be less able to step into the ball, so practicing both stepping in and waiting for the ball might be helpful. You can practice this by repetition and also paying close attention to where along the swing bath the ball really takes off. Also, a bunch of throwing and catching should not be underestimated - alternating hands, balls, height, speed etc, and focussing on a really clean catches.

Game style: Over the decades, drop shots, slices, volleys etc will become more important than heavy topspin hitting from the baseline. Even if you have a defensive game style now, you might not enjoy being pushed around in the later stages of your tennis life. So it might be a good idea to practice how to dictate play and effectively neutralizing when you're under pressure.

Positioning: Related to a more offensive game style, you might want to move closer to the baseline so you need to move less, can dictate play, and take time away from your opponent. This is where simple technique and good timing will come in very handy as well. For example, practice playing points while standing inside the baseline and not stepping back over it.

Anticipation, the art and science of knowing where your opponent is going to hit the next ball, can save you many steps and a good deal of time. You can derive cues by figuring out patterns of play, or paying attention to stance, point of impact, or where they look etc. Boris for example used to indicate by tongue where he would serve :P You can also practice this by watching tennis, in-person or on the screen, and predicting where the next ball is going to go.

Remember, people tend to practice the most what they're already good at, so if we want to evolve, we need to work on the other things that make sense for our games and feel a bit uncomfortable in the beginning. You can find some thoughts on effective practice here.