Diadem Evolution: the answer to all multifilaments’ hybrid problems? 

Written by: Sebastiano Sali | January 25, 2025

As I have been writing in this blog before, since I picked up the racket again a few years ago, after an almost generational long break, I have embarked on what seems to have become a never ending journey to find the right tennis gear setup

Though, does the perfect frame/strings setup even exist? Or rather, what really matters is the process of discovery instead of what one finds at the end of it?

Philosophical questions aside, to which I don’t really have answers, it might be useful to summarise the stages of my journey so far. I restarted with a full bed of multifilament to allow my body to gently adapt again; I switched to full bed of soft poly, only to soon suffer from new injuries; I thus went back to a full bed of multifilament to, eventually, move to a hybrid poly/multifilament combination, which is the one where I currently use. 

Incidentally, I was happy to play with a full bed of multifilament on a super classic frame (Donnay Pro One Octacore, 97 square inch head, 305 gram static weight, 64 RA and circa 290 unstrung swingweight). However, as I recovered my fitness, joined team training with a coach, played team competitions alongside individual tournaments and, in general, played tennis more regularly, my level of tennis improved. And so did the level of my opponents. Hence, the feeling I needed a setup providing more power, more spin and in general helped me a bit more in my game, both offensive and defensive.

After a few frame tests, I decide to move to the Yonex Ezone 98 and soon realise that the racket is not designed to play with a full bed of multifilament strings (for several reasons I would be happy to explain another time). Thus begins the journey to find the right hybrid setup, at the end of which I happily settle with Solinco Tour Bite Soft 1.25 as mains and Solinco Vanquish 1.30 as crosses. I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel, as this is a combination Solinco recommend and is selling as a package.  

While I find this combination having several advantages, at least for my level and type of game, as well as for my physical condition, it has one main disadvantage: being the Tour Bite a relatively soft and shaped poly and, in my case, being strung at a relatively slow tension (usually as low as 20 kilograms in winter and as maximum as of 22 kilograms in summer), it provides a very good snapback effect and, as a result, a good level of spin. The other side of the coin though, is that the even softer and with a very much less resistant multifilament structure Vanquish, gets consumed very quickly. How quickly? Well, let’s say I used to break around the eight/nine hour mark of play. However, the string playability would plummet well before the breaking point, say after six hours. And that’s way less than the recommended ten/twelve hours of use for a regular poly string. 

Thus, I started scanning both the Racketpedia and the Tennis Warehouse University database in search of a very soft and slick poly with a very low friction coefficient to use as crosses to achieve more durability and longer playability. Ideally, something specifically designed to play as crosses in a hybrid setup. And that’s when I stumbled across these very, very interesting Diadem Evolution.

According to Diadem’s website, the Evolution is specifically designed to play in hybrid setups. Racketpedia tested the string and they are able to provide some hard data: according to them, it is the construction in polyamide, instead of polyester that gives the Evolution a particular level of elasticity and reactivity, much closer to those of a multifilament, rather than to those of a monofilament. The result should be the enhancing of power and comfort. Brilliant, that’s exactly what I was looking for.

I tested the Evolution in hybrid with Solinco Tour Bite Soft 1.25, both with the Ezone 98 and with the Percept 100D. On court, the Evolution behaves very closely to what I was expecting. 

The power level is definitely higher than with Solinco’s multifilament Vanquish. Without losing too much in depth, it’s immediately striking how balls fly out of the racket at a much higher speed than with my regular multifilament. 

Spin is a tad increased, but not immediately noticeable. Let’s say one can get basically the same amount of rotation, but with less wrist effort. Often with the Ezone I found myself shooting balls a little too long because of the frame-plus-strings power combination and a not proportionate increase in spin. Once realised that though, it’s easy to adjust and enjoy the added free power.

Comfort, at least in a hybrid setup, is very much comparable to that of a multifilament. Perhaps not quite the same, but strung at low tensions (I strung my Evolution at 20 kilograms), apart from a little soreness in long matches or training sessions, I didn’t get any pain. Big plus for me!

What I felt had gone a little lost was touch, especially with the Ezone. I am under the impression that compared to the Vanquish multi, the Evolution lacks a bit of connection to the ball and in general that nice feeling given by the ball pocketing that multifilaments provide, especially when playing an approach volley or a drop shot. Something I sort of got back when playing with the Percept 100D, a frame that, in my opinion, with the same string setup, can offer a higher connection to the ball than the Ezone 98 (in its 2022 edition) and, in general, works better with softer strings and lower tensions.

The biggest plus in comparison to a multifilament is though the playability and durability. I could easily reach the ten hour mark and see only a minimal consumption of the strings; at the same time, the tension holding was great and the snapback characteristic was almost intact. In fact, I came to exhaust the Tour Bite’s ability of snapping back and tension holding (yes, one might argue that the Tour Bite Soft does not have its strongest assets in those two aspects) first, while the Diadem were still going strong! 

For the sake of testing, I decided to continue playing with the same strings in training only, to see where I could take the Evolution: and I can say that it was only after circa fifteen hours of play that I decided it was enough and that the string didn’t have anything to give anymore. 

But hey, fifteen it’s a remarkable milestone!

I didn’t test them in full bed, simply because from the get go one can tell they can be a problematic string. Already when opening the package, one can immediately notice that they are as soft and as flexible as a multi, but very slick. They almost slip through your hands when stringing them! 

In a hybrid setup though, I warmly recommend you to give it a go in your crosses. Both if you hybrid with multifilament and want to add a lot of power and some spin without losing comfort; but also if you hybrid poly/poly and are looking for more comfort and longer tension holding. I believe in both cases it will be a win-win solution.

Last but not least, they come with a relatively affordable price tag, plus a 15% discount thanks to Jonas! (Use Code: TENNISNERD15)

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Sebastiano Sali

Sebastiano is a true member of the Tennisnerd community and likes to share his personal experiences at various tennis tournaments as well as reviewing players and events from the tour.