It has become a bit of a tradition to look at the Atlanta ATP String Tensions and here we are in 2024. What can we learn?
The string tension sheet
Okay, let’s skim through it. First observation is that Ben Shelton is using a hybrid with Poly Tour Strike and Poly Tour Pro. Interestingly, he strings the crosses higher. Usually, you want to do the opposite to increase snapback, but Poly Tour Pro is an energetic string that strikes, so that might be the reason. 53/56 is 24 kg mains and 25.5 kg crosses, which used to be a quite standard tension on the ATP tour, but these days most players are stringing lower than that.
Talking about stringing low, Mannarino has the lowest listed string tension on tour. He is currently stringing Alu Power at 10.3 kg, which is 22.7 lbs. This creates a strong trampoline effect in the string bed, which can be very difficult to control (impressive timing needed), but the spin is also tricky to read for the opponent and the ball will have some weird energy to it, which is why Mannarino is such a tough player to face at times.
Just on the third spot of the Atlanta ATP String Tensions sheet, we find Frances Tiafoe with Yonex Poly Tour Pro at 42 lbs (19 kg). Tiafoe has great hands and can manipulate the ball and create enough shape even with lower tensions, so it seems like a good choice for his Yonex Percept 97. He really uses an older 16/20 VCORE Pro Dual-G racquet, but skips the last cross.
Gut hybrids still going strong
The heat and humidity in Atlanta will not stop players from using gut (gut is usually sensitive to humid conditions, but if can get multiple racquets strung daily, then that is not an issue).
If go through the sheet, we can count Jordan Thompson, Brandon Nakashima, Christopher O’Connell, Borna Coric, and Yoshi Nishioka all use gut hybrids, either as a main string (more power), or as a cross string (more spin and control).
Poly Poly Hybrids are on the rise
I see some quite surprising poly/poly hybrids, where players are trying to find a combo that unlocks something special for them. There are endless combinations of poly mixed with poly, so you can easily find yourself down a rabbit hole.
Zach Svajda‘s hybrid of Solinco Confidential and Tecnifibre Ice Code is an interesting one. The Confidential creates massive bite on the ball, while Ice Code has a low-friction surface, which should help the strings move more smoothly. Both strings hold tension well, so this combo makes some sense to me.
Another slightly odd one, is Jackson Withrow using Solinco Tour Bite mains at 50 lbs and Alu Power Rough in the crosses at 48 lbs. But when you think of it, Alu Rough is relatively slick/slippery for a rough string, so it is not as bad as a cross string. However, I would be concerned with the aggressive shape of Tour Bite, locking the strings together and limiting the amount of snapback and string movement you want. But I have not tried this setup, so it is a purely hypothetical analysis at this point.
Some notable observations
Perusing the Atlanta ATP String Tensions sheet, I find more eye-brow-raising stuff than I thought at first glance.
We have Julian Cash using a not so common brand on the this level of tennis, Grapplesnake. It doesn’t say what string he uses, but we have been impressed by both Tour Sniper and Tour M8. Then, he uses a synthetic gut in the crosses.
Jerry Shang is using Babolat RPM Hurricane and Alu Power at 48 lbs in his Babolat Pure Drive 98. Not sure how this hybrid works together, on paper it makes little sense to me. We have another odd one with Alejandro Davidovich Fokina using a hybrid of Luxilon Alu Power and HEAD Hawk Power, two strings with similar properties from different brands.
Talking about Hawk Power, it looks like Aslan Karatsev has switched from Sonic Pro. We haven’t seen much of Karatsev in the deeper stretches of tournaments in the last two years. We will see if things can turn around.
William Blumberg is using HEAD Sonic Pro and FXP (multifilament string) in his Prestige. Evan King is another fan of using Confidential in the mains, but he opts for Tour Bite Soft in the crosses. Not the kind of slick, movement-friendly string, I would expect, but whatever works, I guess.
The highest string tension award goes to Thanasi Kokkinakis for his 60 lbs of Alu Power in his Ezone. I have not seen his racquet in Atlanta, but he was back at the Pure Aero for a while. Maybe he has settled on the Ezone now, not sure. The results are not what he wants, no matter what racquet.
What was the most interesting info in this Atlanta ATP String Tensions sheet?
