Natural string is regarded as the Rolls-Royce of tennis strings. As the name suggests, this is a natural product made from the gut of animals. This type of string is still favored by players for its optimum mix of power, control and spin.

Gut was first introduced by Babolat in 1875. These are the softest string in the market. A racquet freshly strung with gut has an incredibly buttery feel, even at high tensions. It has a heavenly response for net rushers and touch players who relish pinpoint control. It also holds tension well, retaining its playing characteristics longer than most strings. All that comfort, along with its great shock absorption at impact, makes gut a wise choice for chronic arm pain sufferers.

Natural strings have the most elasticity. Being so elastic and resilient, they are able to pocket the ball and snap back better than any synthetic. The ball stays on the strings longer (dwell time) resulting in more transferred energy and a higher launch point along the swing path. Shots land deeper in the court with less effort.

The downside is that these strings are expensive and it has limited durability. It is also susceptible to extremes in temperature and is especially liable to break under damp or wet conditions.