Best Tennis Strings for Adult Recreational Players

Strings affect your tennis more than your racket does. Most adult players never think about strings beyond "the shop strung them when I bought the racket". This is a plain-English guide to what string actually does, what choices you have, and which specific strings are worth paying for at the social tennis level in Australia.

The basics

Three variables decide what your strings do for you:

Material: natural gut, synthetic gut, multifilament, or polyester (also called "poly"). The material decides feel, power, and comfort.
Gauge: how thick the string is, measured in numbers (15L, 16, 16L, 17). Higher number means thinner string.
Tension: how tightly the string is pulled into the racket, measured in pounds (lbs). Typical range is 50 to 60 lbs.

There is no objectively "best" string. The right string depends on your style, level, and what you want to fix in your game.

Material: the four options

Natural gut (premium)

Made from cow intestine. Yes, really. The most expensive string ($50 to $80 per set). Used by Federer and most other top tour players. Reasons: best feel, best power, best comfort. Reasons not for most of us: cost, sensitivity to weather (humidity destroys it), and lifespan (frays quickly).

For the recreational adult, gut is overkill.

Polyester / poly (the modern default for power players)

Stiff, spin-friendly, durable. Used by every modern tour player as either the full string job or in a "hybrid" with another material. Popular with players who break strings often or who use a lot of topspin.

Two warnings: poly is hard on the arm. If you have any history of tennis elbow or shoulder pain, poly will make it worse. Also, poly loses tension fast. A poly string at 55 lbs drops to effectively 48 lbs within a week of play.

Multifilament (the comfort choice)

Hundreds of tiny fibres wrapped together to mimic the feel of natural gut at a tenth of the cost. Wilson NXT, Tecnifibre X-One, Babolat Origin all sit in this category. Soft on the arm, good power, decent feel. The default choice for adult recreational players who want a quality string without breaking the bank.

Downside: not durable. A heavy hitter might break a multifilament in 8 to 15 hours of play. For most adult recreational players who play 2 to 3 hours a week and do not hit with massive racket-head speed, multifilament lasts 3 to 4 months easy.

Synthetic gut (the budget default)

A solid core wrapped with outer fibres. The cheapest reasonable string ($8 to $15 per set). Used by most pre-strung beginner rackets. Acceptable. Will not surprise you in any direction. Durable enough.

Synthetic gut is what most adult recreational players actually have in their racket without realising it. Upgrading from synthetic gut to multifilament is one of the single biggest "tennis upgrades per dollar" moves available.

Gauge: how thick

Thinner strings (higher number) feel softer and have more spin potential, but break faster. Thicker strings are more durable but feel less alive.

15L (1.38mm): very thick. For string-breakers and players who want maximum durability.
16 (1.30mm): the standard. The default gauge for adult recreational play.
16L (1.28mm): slightly thinner than standard. Good middle ground.
17 (1.25mm): thin. More feel and spin. Breaks faster.
17L / 18: very thin. For touch players. Will break fast.

Almost every adult recreational player should be in 16 or 16L gauge. Going thinner is for advanced players who specifically value spin and feel and accept faster breakage.

Tension: how tight

Most rackets come with a recommended tension range printed on the frame (something like "50 to 60 lbs"). Within that range, the rule is:

Lower tension (50 to 53 lbs): more power, more comfort, less control. Good for adults who want easier power and softer feel on the arm.
Higher tension (57 to 62 lbs): more control, less power, harsher feel. Good for advanced players who already have power and want precision.

If you are not sure, get them strung at the middle of the recommended range. For most modern beginner rackets that means 54 to 56 lbs.

A note on poly: if you do use poly strings, drop the tension 4 to 6 lbs below what you would use for other strings. Poly plays stiffer than its tension reading suggests.

Specific recommendations by player type

Adult recreational, 2 to 3 sessions a week, no arm issues, plays for fun

Wilson NXT 16 ($25 to $35 per set). The default Aussie adult string. Multifilament, soft, great feel, durable enough for 3 to 4 months at typical adult volume. String at 55 lbs in a mid-range racket. The single safest recommendation in this post.

Adult with any history of tennis elbow or shoulder pain

Tecnifibre X-One Biphase 17 ($35 to $45 per set). Softer than NXT, slightly less durable. The single most arm-friendly string available outside natural gut. String at the bottom of your racket's recommended range. If your arm has been hurting for months, this string is one of the three things worth trying (the others: a flexible racket and a coaching lesson on backhand technique).

Adult who breaks strings every 4 to 6 weeks

Luxilon ALU Power 16L ($30 to $40 per set). Polyester. Stiff and durable. Used by many pros. Warning: hard on the arm. Only use poly if you have no arm history and you genuinely break softer strings too fast.

Adult who wants the cheapest acceptable option

Wilson Synthetic Gut Power 16 ($10 to $15 per set). Synthetic gut. Plays acceptable. Strings up well. You will not love it but you will not hate it. If budget is the constraint, this is the right answer.

Adult who is willing to spend on something special

Babolat VS Touch 16 natural gut ($55 to $75 per set). The cheapest natural gut option. Feels alive in a way no synthetic string ever will. Lasts 3 to 6 months if you do not play in humid weather. Try it once.

How often to restring

The rule of thumb: how many times you play per week is how many times per year you should restring.

Play once a week: restring once a year.
Play twice a week: twice a year.
Play three times a week: three times a year.

Strings lose tension and feel even when you do not break them. A string that has not snapped is not necessarily a string that is still doing its job. The feel of a freshly-strung racket after months of using dead strings is one of the great pleasures of tennis.

Where to get strung in Australia

Tennis Only: mail-in stringing service. Send racket, they string and return. Around $40 including return postage. Selection of every string under the sun.
Tennis Warehouse Australia: similar mail-in service.
Local club pro shop: usually $30 to $50 for stringing, with same-day turnaround. Worth the premium for the convenience.
Independent stringer: most Australian cities have at least one independent stringer who works from home and charges $25 to $35. Often the best quality. Find them via Facebook groups or club noticeboards.

The summary

If you are an adult Australian recreational player, restring your racket with Wilson NXT 16 at 55 lbs, twice a year. Total annual cost: $60 for strings plus $60 for two restrings, or about $10 per month of tennis.

If you have arm issues, switch to a multifilament softer than NXT (Tecnifibre X-One). If you break strings constantly, switch to a poly. Otherwise, NXT is the safe, sensible default that 80% of adult Aussie recreational players should be using.

For the matching guides, see our beginner racket buying guide and hard court tennis shoes guide.