In the mid 1990's, an obscure player from Brazil started using an unknown string. Little did he know that, not only would he help usher in a new era of string technology, but he’d also change how the game would be played. That player was Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten, and the string was Luxilon ALU Power.

Now Luxilon has proudly introduced 4G (or Fourth Generation) – the latest iteration of their co-polymer string line. The follow up to Big Banger Original, ALU Power, and the M2 versions of Luxilon string is billed as the best of all worlds, providing increased comfort, power, spin, and tension maintenance. Serena Williams and Kei Nishikori are just two pros who currently use 4G on tour.

Check out our Luxilon 4G video!

In Play - Luxilon 4G has a cushioned feel on impact. There’s no “poly jolt”, and your body will feel happier after hours of play than with most other poly strings. The power level is slightly lower than previous generations, which should aid 4G’s target player.

Luxilon 4G seems to be very well developed to aid the power and spin focused modern game. If you want to flatten the ball, you can swing away and control your depth quite easily. If you want to hit with topspin, your low to high acceleration can easily create a troublesome, high-kicking ball for your opponent.

Fine Points - Luxilon 4G sports a non-poly sound when you hit the ball - a higher-pitched “ping” instead of ALU Power’s “thud.” Once again, 4G feels and sounds more like a synthetic gut string than a polyester.

Luxilon’s claim of 30 percent better tension maintenance appears to be valid, as 4G lost only 3.6% of its tension in the first 24 hours after stringing, measured by the Babolat RDC. ALU Power, on the other hand, lost 8.2 percent, and Babolat RPM Blast dropped by 8.1 percent. This tension loss number is at the top of the heap, not only for polyester-based strings, but for all strings including natural gut. If you find yourself cutting out poly strings due to a loss of tension, 4G may solve a big problem for your game (and wallet).

Stringing - Tennis Express customers who string their own racquets will be happy to know that 4G has none of the problems normally associated with co-polymer strings. With nearly nonexistent coil memory, it’s very easy to handle right out of the package, and is no more difficult to work with than a set of synthetic gut.The crosses are a snap to weave, and the supple feel will mean less fingertip pain. Woohoo!

Luxilon 4G exhibits another “un-poly-like” quality in how it takes tension. It reaches tension and then stays put, showing little “creep” after the tensioner stops pulling. This again corroborates the claim of improved tension maintenance.

Specs - Luxilon 4G is a 16L gauge (1.25mm) string like ALU Power. Its percentage of elongation (stretch) at 60 pounds is a very low 5.7 percent, compared to ALU Power’s ultra-low 4 percent, implying a slightly softer feel.

Luxilon 4G should be the latest in a long line of successful strings for Luxilon. Designed with the modern game in mind, it rewards powerful baseline play and lets you swing with even more strength and acceleration than before. With its forgiving feel and improved tension maintenance, hard-hitting players NTRP-rated 3.5 and above should look into it, as should players who have previously shied away from poly string due to lack of comfort.

Order Luxilon 4G at TennisExpress.com starting on August 27, 2012!