PEEK Tennis

WHAT IS A HYBRID?

It’s when one type of string is put in the verticals (mains)
and a different type of string is put in the horizontals (crosses)

LET'S GOOOOOO!

How I Got Here

Welcome to PEEK tennis!

Did you know that there are as many as 3 injuries per 1000 hours of playing tennis? And as many as 50% of competitive players retire due to injuries?? So if you’re visiting my website, chances are pretty high you’ve experienced some kind of tear, tendonitis, or impingement.

I can definitely be included in that statistic as I’ve suffered from just about every arm injury imaginable. It forced me to search far and wide for the right racquet and strings that didn’t cause me pain or more injuries. Fortunately, I’ve been stringing racquets since I was a teenager so I began to test countless string manufacturers, materials and combinations. My journey has revealed some amazing alternatives to getting polyester-like performance out of strings that are much easier on your joints.

The discoveries I’ve made are the foundations of PEEK Tennis. I’ve stayed arm-injury-free by using these hybrids. My mission for PEEK Tennis is to help you reduce your injuries so you can also keep playing tennis.

I’m a huge fan of a new material called PEEK. That’s why I gave my service it’s name. It’s short for the material it’s made of: PolyEtherEtherKetone. It’s more than just another synthetic because it has some amazing dynamic properties extremely similar to natural gut AND polyester. It’s as soft as natural gut but can create just as much ball spin as polyester and is, in my opinion, much more durable. Especially when used as a cross string. I really like the monofilament version of it. Not all stringers are patient enough to work with this fussy string but I’ve made it a point to master its properties and quirks.

Take a look at the fun and innovative hybrid combinations I’ve created below. If you’re looking to tame the stiffness of that Babolat Pure-whatever or have a nagging arm issue, one of my hybrids might work. It’s worth a try.

Wesley L.

These Are Just My Opinions

Hot Takes

Mishitters shouldn’t use polyester (this includes me!)

This also generally but broadly applies to beginners, juniors and NTRP under 4.0. If you don’t hit the ball in the sweet spot at lease 80% of the time, then you shouldn’t use polyester strings. Polyesters have such little forgiveness that mishits will turn into excessive vibration and shock to your arm, accelerating your injuries. Then why do so many pro’s use polyester? Well, most have been playing since they were like 3 years old so their joints have literally been built to handle the impacts. But many of them are also “clean ball strikers”. That’s more important these days than we realize.

Linear vs Dynamic (Nylons vs Polyesters)

So a slow swing=less power and a big swing=more power, right? That’s a linear relationship. But Polyester strings are dynamic where that relationship flips. That’s why the top professional players (who use polyester strings) can swing so big and the ball stays in the court. Why do I make a big deal out of this? Because, for developing players, the dynamic relationship confuses the brain and isn’t intuitive. Most recreational and developing players should use linear strings. It’s a direct relationship with cause and effect and it makes sense.

98% of Polyester strings on the market are trash

It is an absolutely oversaturated market of garbage. I’ve tried countless brands and cut them out the same day because they were horrendous. Way too stiff. Doesn’t pocket the ball at all. Can’t hold tension for more than a set. Zero feel. The list goes on… Think about it, if they can squeeze out a string of plastic for pennies and charge $18 for it, they sure as hell will! They spit out new formulas constantly and let the market decide if it likes it or not. No money wasted on research or development! There’s honestly a shortlist of polyester strings that have proven to perform and I carry just a handful of the tried and true. So don’t waste your time or your joints searching for that amazing polyester string that manufacturers don’t care if it destroys your arms in their quest for the highest profits.

NORMALIZE PLUSH RACQUETS AND COMFY STRINGS

Why is everyone so obsessed with super stiff racquets (66+RA)? And why do so many players completely shut down when we talk softer strings? Does everyone secretly prefer driving a Ferrari on slow downtown streets? It’s not functional and is insanely uncomfortable. So why do so many recreational players want their racquets and strings to feel like a Ferrari?? Or is everyone secretly THAT guy cruising downtown in his sports car – I may have just answered my own question… What about comfort, ease, connection? You can still steer a tennis ball without a turbo charged v12 with zero ground clearance. Racquets that are plush and strings that are comfortable are a good thing to get used to. Tennisvergnügen!