String Report - Getting comfortable with Babolat Xcel

My hitting buddy was in need of a restring so we talked about options.

His wrist had previously bugged him last summer so I took a look at his current setup - and wasn't surprised at what I found.

Current Setup

It was a stiff poly main at higher tension on a lighter racket- he didn't have any real reason for that specific setup it was just what was in there and what he was used to.

He doesn't have ultra high racket head speed strokes that would warrant that type of aggressive setup.

So what does he need?

He's not a string breaker so he doesn't necessarily need the extra stiff longevity that those strings provide.

So his primary need was comfort - you simply can't play if you are injured. You might sacrifice some performance compared to the other setup, but if you can't play at all then what's the point?

His more traditional flatter strokes pair up better with a more natural feel so I am thinking a nice high quality multifilament.

For power, he'll benefit from extra power on the serve. It's time to keep it simple and classy here, something made in France perhaps?  Let's call in an established string for the job. 

Xcel 17 gauge for the win

Xcel is a premium multifilament with nice touch and feel, great power to control balance in the 50ish lbs range, and some impressive spin with the 17 gauge version.

Most importantly all of those things in a comfortable, stretchy, forgiving package.

So we strung up a pair at 50 and 55 lbs to see what works best for him on this new setup.

Will it last?

These are pricey strings (everything made in France is) but I think worth it during a time of healing. Maybe too expensive for your everyday player, but worth a try.

He'll give this a try and when the wrist is feeling good we can talk his specific performance needs and goals, and about the next level up in the future.

Let me know your thoughts! Are you an Xcel lover?