It seems that I am recovering from this cold or whatever it is, so now we can return to a relatively normal schedule!

I want to start with some comments from Willie B. regarding string.  After you read Willie’s comments, we can talk about the string and why it does what it does: to allow players of any level to play without discomfort.

Here is from Willie:

“FYI, my inability to play tennis more than 1-twice a week due to the pain for over 4 years impacted my game. The last time I was ranked was 5.0, but now at 47, probably more like 4.5 (No tournament for the previous 5 years)
The good news is that with the feel of those strings, I can hit back (I practiced with a top player last Sunday, and he even felt it as I am not scared to go big… I have played with him for over a decade)”.

Willie’s racquet technician is Henry Hamels of String MD.  Thank you, Henry, for sharing!

If you have not already guessed, the string material is PEEK, polyetheretherketone, which was marketed as Zyex by Ashaway under the MonoGut ZX and ZX Pro models!  This monofilament format offers an alternative to stiffer monofilament strings while providing, in most cases, better performance and durability!

• The raw material is expensive.
• Some racquet technicians stringers simply don’t know how to handle PEEK.
  • The high elongation of PEEK is a surprise to the first-time stringer.
• Marketing hype is not strong.
• Very few players and stringers know about this alternative.
  • See Marketing Hype above!
  • Stringers may have had a poor experience before and are wary.
• The material does not change shape; therefore, knots are not as tiny as some stringers prefer.
  • PEEK will “tighten” its own knots.
  • Beginning stringers may over-tighten the knot, causing failure…never to be used again!
• Currently, the material is available in two (2) colors, tan and black.
  • MonoGut ZX is 16 gauge
  • MonoGut ZX Pro is 17 gauge

Depending on the player’s tennis intentions, we may start them on PEEK at age nine (9) but no later than twelve (12).

Thank you, Willie, for your comments!

To see if this material will benefit your game now and for the long term, ask your racquet technician.  

• Please text us if you need additional information:  407.491.4755
• Comment on this site, and we will respond to specific questions.
• If, based on our player history, your application may not be the best, we will tell you.
  • Very beginning players and those players experimenting with various strokes creating mis-hits need to be recognized.