Construction: Co-polyester Monofilament

Colors: Silver

Gauge: 16G (1.30 mm), 17G (1.25 mm)

Length: 40 feet (12.2 M) and 660 feet (200 M)

Test Racquet / Tension
Yonex EZone DR98/17 G (1.25 mm) @ 50 lbs

Intro

Tourna has been steadily expanding beyond their hallmark overgrips in recent years, especially into the string category. Building off their long standing control poly, Big Hitter Silver, Tourna has introduced a new string called Silver 7 Tour. This string takes the same control oriented approach, but adds in a 7-sided design for massive bite and spin potential. This new string shape, along with impressive tension maintenance position this string to be popular with big hitters who value spin and control. Here’s a look at what I thought of Silver 7 Tour’s on court performance.

Power/Spin/Control

Silver 7 Tour fell into the low to medium power range on my spectrum. It wasn’t the deadest polyester offering I’ve used, but it also didn’t play overpowered. It was very easy to manage the power level off the ground and I rarely found myself sailing the ball long due to over hitting. The string nicely accentuated fast, fluid strokes without making it risky to take big swings. The level of spin the string produced was very impressive. The 7-sided design provided huge grip on the ball, adding excellent movement on both topspin and slice shots. I was able to consistently vary the height of the ball and use spin to push opponents off of the baseline. Control was also impressive with this string. The combination of lower power and easy spin gave me plenty of control over the ball. I was able to manage depth easily and create angles when the opening presented itself.

Feel/Comfort

Silver 7 Tour played with a firm, but comfortable response. The feel on contact was crisp and clean with buzzing only becoming present at the end of the string’s life. There was a bit of flex on contact, but the string didn’t have the springy feel that softer polyester offerings typically exhibit. The string’s response was also very uniform across the entire string bed, with no hot spots evident. The string played without comfort issues for me, but I frequently play with firmer polyester strings. Players with sensitive arms should opt for the thinner gauge and reduce tension in order to maximize comfort from the string.

Durability/Playability

The durability of Silver 7 Tour was in line with what I typically get from shaped polyesters. It began notching within a few hours of play and I broke it shortly after crossing into double digit court hours. I was playing the 17g version so opting for the thicker 16g would likely stretch the play time out a bit longer. I was impressed with the overall playability of the string. It had very consistent, minimal tension loss session to session and played with predictable response every time out. I was happy with my ability to hit with confidence even as the string got closer and closer to breaking.

Overall

The spin friendly polyester segment is a crowded market. Tourna has positioned this new offering at a great price point and it’s on court performance makes it even more attractive. It boasts impressive spin, easily managed power and excellent playability and tension maintenance. Poly players looking for game controlling spin and playability without breaking the bank should take a long look at Tourna Silver 7 Tour.

About the Reviewer: Matt Locke formerly served for 3 years as the Junior Programs & Development Coordinator for USTA-Idaho. He is a PTR certified coach and is an active USTA 4.5+ League and Tournament player.