DUNLOP BLACK WIDOW 16 ga. Tennis String
November 10th, 2011
Dunlop is well-known in the tennis world. Many famous players have used Dunlop products successfully. It appears that Dunlop wishes to increase their presence and they have released several new racquets and tennis strings. This review is on the “Dunlop Black Widow” polyester 16 gauge strings“Dunlop Black Widow” polyester 16 gauge strings, which are part of Dunlop’s new “Biomimetic” line of products.
Dunlop promotes Black Widow tennis string as designed to provide spin & durability. They say it is made from premium polyester with a high-tensile, mono-filament design. The string is heptagonal (7 sided) to promote spin (more “bite” on the ball). Black Widow is manufactured in Germany. Dunlop rates it a “7” (out of 10) on Power & Comfort, an “8” on Durability, and a “10” on Spin.
Stringing my tennis racquet with Black Widow was about as I expected—typical poly string stiffness and a bit challenging weaving the crosses. I was surprised that the 7-sided design felt very sharp—almost as if it would cut my fingers if I wasn’t careful (but nothing happened).
Groundstrokes with Black Widow were challenging. I had immediate difficulty keeping the ball in the court. This really surprised me—polyester strings usually allow me to “swing-away” with confidence. I did notice good spin, but I never felt as if I was hitting the ball to my target. Near, but not on my target was the story. But Black Widow did feel softer than other poly strings, which is good for my arm. One strange thing: the cross strings moved all-over the place, while the main strings stayed put! The exact opposite of “normal”! I think it would take several days of playing with Black Widow to understand it’s playing characteristics.
Volleys with Dunlop Black Widow were good. The strings absorbed much of the shock and I could sense good power and control.
Dunlop Black Widow performed very well on serves. It allowed me to really hit a flat serve with good power and better accuracy than during the above mentioned groundstrokes. The string design helped with 2nd Serve “spin” serves.
Black Widow provided more “feel” than other polyester strings I’ve used. This came in handy on drop-shots and angle volleys. I enjoyed this attribute and believe it may be one of Black Widow’s best features.
SUMMARY
I believe that Dunlop Black Widow is not your “run of the mill” normal polyester tennis string. It feels softer and provides more power than most. It does seem to “bite” the ball very well and this increases spin potential. I think it would be best used by players seeking a durable string and who wish for a little assistance in the “power department”.
Greg Christopherson
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