Tourna Big Hitter Silver Tennis String Review
Tourna Big Hitter Silver has been around for the better part of 20 years. It sells for less than $7, which makes it one of the least expensive polys ever sold at Tennis Warehouse. However, if our playtest team has it right, this is not some scaled-down, no-frills budget string. In addition to being one of the more comfortable co-polys we've playtested, Big Hitter Silver posted very impressive scores for control and spin. When tensioned correctly, it enabled our crew to execute powerful strokes without fear of overhitting, resulting in greater confidence when generating pace, whipping up spin or targeting the lines. Although our playtesters did not agree on any downsides, one player noticed the effects of tension loss by the end of the playtest, an unsurprising fact given how poorly the majority of co-polys hold tension. Ultimately, though, when you combine this string's impressive performance with its unbelievably low price, Big Hitter Silver is awfully hard to beat.
Control
Comfort
Spin
Price
Too firm for beginners
Final Verdict
Breakdown SummaryBreakdown
Control: 8.3
As a poly-based monofilament, Big Hitter Silver is a control string designed for experienced players with long, fast strokes. That said, with its flexible construction, it packs more rebound power than the average polyester string, which means Chris had to tinker with the tension to dial in the control. He said, "Big Hitter Silver offered a decently lively response for a co-poly, and I would definitely place this string on the softer and livelier side of the co-poly spectrum. After hitting with a set, I restrung and went up 2 pounds (to 54 pounds in a Head Speed Pro) to add control to the stringbed. With the tension dialed in I found excellent control and just enough power to help me put shots away. I felt confident swinging aggressively and didn't have to worry about overhitting."
"As a player who has struggled with the cost of some polys and restringing, the fact that Big Hitter Silver offers good control, power, feel and spin at under $10 makes it a string that should be in the regular rotation for players!"
For Michelle, this string's impressive control never wavered, and it didn’t come at the expense of power. She explained, "What I love about this string is that I could install it in a stiff power-oriented racquet to get the control I need, but I never felt restricted in the power category. Even after a couple weeks of use, when the string had settled in — possibly even bagged out — it maintained control. For me, it still gets categorized as a control string, but I think you can really juice control and power out of this string depending on the tension and racquet it is installed in."
Spin: 8.3
Although it lacks the ultra-sharp bite of Tourna's Big Hitter Black 7 or Silver 7 Tour (both shaped polys), Big Hitter Silver gave our testers more than enough spin to effectively hit their targets. Needless to say, Michelle was impressed with the spin potential of this round poly. She described, "There's something I love about round polys; there are no frills yet they still have good access to spin for players like me who have a more linear swing, rather than an aggressive topspin motion. With that being said, I never hit a ball with this string and found my shot lacking in spin. This string has great snapback, and I felt the ball load up with spin whenever I asked it to with my mechanics."

For Chris, this co-poly proved quite versatile in the spin department. He said, "I was very happy with the spin I was able to get on my shots with Big Hitter Silver. I liked the way the string pocketed the ball before releasing it with good rotation. I found ample topspin to roll lobs and angles, and to keep my drives dipping inside the baseline. When I knifed a slice backhand, Big Hitter Silver helped me skid the ball low and make it tough for my opponent to dig out."
Feel: 8.3
One of the standout features of Big Hitter Silver was the comfortable feel. In addition to being a great option for those who want a more arm-friendly poly, this string's softer construction allowed Chris to string it tighter for control without losing the sweetspot. He said, "I found a softer feel from Big Hitter Silver than the co-polys I typically play (like Solinco Hyper-G, Tecnifibre Razor Soft, Head Lynx Tour). Even when I bumped the tension to increase control, I still found Big Hitter Silver to feel forgiving for a co-poly."
"The stringbed offered ample dwell time, and I felt connected and in control of my shots."
Although Michelle gravitates toward stiffer strings, she definitely appreciated Big Hitter Silver's softer feel, especially when paired with a stiffer frame. She said, "I was really interested in trying this string because I know a couple of players who use a Pure Drive Tour paired with Tourna string, and I wanted to see why they make it their setup of choice. I understand now, and I loved the feel of this string in stiffer racquets. It did a great job of lowering the shock, and it never felt too soft or mushy. While I tested it mainly in the Pure Drive Tour, I also had it in my Wilson Pro Staff RF97, and enjoyed a comfortable pocketing sensation at contact."
Playability Duration: 7.4
All strings lose tension over time, especially softer polys like Big Hitter Silver. Although this often leads to control problems, Michelle was impressed with how long this co-poly held its optimal playing characteristics. She said, "I found the playability duration to be very similar to other silver strings on the market, and there was not a noticeable moment when it dropped in playability for me. It was one of those strings that I could keep in my racquet longer, and it still maintained control and snapback."

"My only downside hitting with this string was that when the tension dropped out it got a bit launchy," said Chris. "Going up in tension helped keep the string playable longer. Giving this string a slight pre-stretch (before or during stringing, if your machine has that functionality) helps maintain the tension, but at a cost to the ball pocketing capability.
Breakdown Summary
Power | 7.3 |
Control | 8.3 |
Spin | 8.3 |
Comfort | 7.8 |
Feel | 8.3 |
Playability Duration | 7.4 |
Durability | 8.8 |
Final Verdict |
8.4 |
Tension Diagnostics
String Installation Grade | B+ |
Coil Memory | Moderate |
Friction Burn On Crosses | Low |
Knot Tying | Moderate difficulty |
Notching | None |
Clouding | N/A |
Tennis Warehouse University Lab Data
Stiffness (lb/in) | 209 |
Spin Potential | 6.8 |
Playtester Thoughts

Michelle
This string instantly reminded me of the Prince Tour XP playtest, and I think what I loved about that string is what I’m enjoying from Big Hitter Silver. I also know Luxilon ALU Power is super popular on and off tour, but this alternative would be worth trying, and you can't beat the price. In our string database, these two strings measure to perform fairly similarly. Let's be real, things are getting expensive! I would challenge players looking to find good deals and cut some costs to give this string a go before trying other strings that cost double. Big hitters will love this string. Anyone looking for control and feel from their strings will enjoy Big Hitter Silver!
Super predictable, good control without feeling limited in terms of power and access to spin, great playability duration.
Not much to report; this string does everything well. It is like the 'meat and potatoes' of strings! If you are looking for a ton of spin potential, this may not be the string for you, but luckily for me, that is not one of my deal breakers!
Michelle's String Setup | |
Racquet | Babolat Pure Drive Tour |
String Tension | 57 lbs |
Typical String | Solinco Hyper-G 16L |
Michelle's Breakdown | |
Power | 7.7 |
Control | 8.2 |
Spin | 7.8 |
Comfort | 8 |
Feel | 8 |
Playability Duration | 9 |
Durability | 9 |
Overall | 8.5 |

Chris
The closest playing string to Tourna Big Hitter Silver is Tourna Big Hitter Blue. Pick your color preference and have fun! From other brands, try hitting it alongside Yonex POLYTOUR PRO or Luxilon Element. I would say POLYTOUR PRO holds tension better, but they all offer lots of control and solid spin when they’re fresh off the stringer. Big Hitter Silver is a great playing co-poly with tons of performance to offer at an absolutely excellent price. Players who like the spin and control of co-polys and want an affordable string just have to give this one a try.
Spin, ball pocketing and price are all top-notch.
Drops playability into the second week of hitting, but this can be lessened by upping the tension or pre-stretching.
Chris' String Setup | |
Racquet | Head Speed Pro 2022 |
String Tension | 52 & 54 lbs |
Typical String | Volkl Cyclone 16 |
Chris' Breakdown | |
Power | 6.9 |
Control | 8.4 |
Spin | 8.8 |
Comfort | 7.6 |
Feel | 8.6 |
Playability Duration | 5.8 |
Durability | 8.5 |
Overall | 8.3 |