I've always used the radical 98. I love how versatile it is. It's not outstanding in any category but great all around. I had to switch to the percept 97 because it's more head-light and I am loving it
Another vote here for the Ezone over the Vcore. I have used the Ezone solid for 2 years and it's fantastic. The only other racket I use from time to time is the Percept 100 if I am looking for a little more control although I wasn't expecting to see that in your top 5!!
I play with the vcore 98 and I did demo the ezone 98. I must say, both of these can achieve a VERY similar performance depending on your strokes and string setup. I think they’re both interchangeable.
Great video and a great take on these racquets! I have both the Speed MP and the Blade 98 16x19 in my bag. While I love the extra power on serves and ground strokes that the Speed provides, I want better maneuverability at the net - and that’s why I mostly use the Blade .
Hey Luca, I always love your reviews and how spot on they are. I'm a high schooler and am finding a new love for tennis and am inspired by your passion for the sport and your job. I'm curious as to how you got in the position you are and what you would have to say for how to get into this kind of career.
Hopefully, you all get the Gravity 98 next year. I'd be interested in how that would compare to this list. Some early preview compares it with the VCore 98.
I recently switched from the PS97 V11 315g to the Aero 98 305g and I’m loving it. I’m still struggling to better control shorter balls, but overall it’s been better. The maneuverability is making up for the tiny loss on control, since it’s easier to set up the strike and the spin potential added so much to the aggressiveness of my shots since I’m not able to generate a lot of power.
Nice one Luca, would be great if you did a similar type of video for aggressive baseliners. Also, how would you compare the Speed MP with the latest Extreme Pro?
Thanks for another great video.I was demoing racquets earlier this year and tried Babolat, Yonex and Head options. I came close to choosing the Pure Strike - need to try one again. On the Speeds I preferred the Pro over the MP, mainly because it has a lovely balance of weight from handle to tip. A tad heavier at 310g, but not polarised toward the head like the Speed MP and so many racquets are these days. I found it faster to swing than the MP and still forgiving with the right string setup. It has a surprising amount of spin for an 18/20, but obviously not in the league of Aero etc. Of course it's all personal taste. I seem to be leaning towards heavier racquets the more I play these days. I'm happiest at 310 to 320g and around 330 swing weight. My ideal, if it ever gets made, would be a 98-inch Gravity Pro 16/20. That'd be an all-round beast. Or maybe a less head-heavy Pure Strike 98-inch 16/20.
Another great video. I played for years with the Speed MP but found it lacking a bit of power. Switched to the VCore 98, found that lacking consistency and made a home with the Aux 1 Boom Pro. Great breakdown of all the rackets, maybe I should give the Strike or Aero 98 a try.
I tried one of those earlier this year. As I mentioned above, I think it was the RPM Blast in the demo racquet that put me off. Needs a controlled but more lively string IMHO.
That's why i reverted back to the speed mp grapheneXT ltd with the 22mm beam. It just feels better through the air than any of the follow up speeds. The graphene touch which came after also with 22mm beam is too muted. I have the following 100 inch rackets in my bag for match play: Head Gravity pro 360+ with under spec 330 swing weight strung Head gravity mp auxetic customized to the same 330 swing weight Prince phantom 100p swing weight 328 Head speed mp grapheneXT ltd swing weight 328 The speed mp is the most all round of those 4, but I'm different situations i grab one of these if I'm playing 100 inch ² that day. I also have several smaller head size rackets that i play matches with.
Agree that the Vcore is stable and has good power. I don’t find it maneuverable, and weight in the head probably contributes to that. I had to a decent amount of weight in the handle to help. I also find the Vcore to be much less spin friendly than I expected.
I loved the Head Speed line. It was my favorite for some time specially as an intermediate. Unfortunately, I had to change to a Blade 98 because it just felt too clunky and like I outgrew it and it slowed me down. I would love a 98 inch version with maybe slightly thinner beams if it can still have the positives that make it great otherwise
I have tested over 20 racquets and it came down to Blade 100 and Speed MP. Both great but I picked Blade as it was more comfortable, predictable and maneuverable. Speed MP had better power though.
I don’t know your level, how tall pr strong are you and all this kind of things but i have a one handed backhand and i passed from the head extreme mp to the Vcore 98 and I fell way better than before.
Agreed and had the same thoughts with all these rackets. I ended up with the pure strike 98 18x20. There's an addictiveness with it and have never played better tennis. I added weight at 9 and 3. The blade couldn't get past the feel. Head radical pro is my other favorite. Speed pro had great feel but felt clunky (and I'm used to heavy rackets).
I have the Speed MP and really like it. Also tried the Blade v9 100 16x19 which I highly recommend but felt it wasn’t as much of an all rounder like the Speed.
Ha! Ha! My racket of choice shows up first. It can be a bit wild out of the sweet spot. I just till feel I have to improve here and there to get the best out of it, but yea it's stable and supportive, makes me feel safe to play bolder, specifically going for the lines with some extra spin. Plus, people, try VCore with Solinco Confidential in mains and a rounded poly (choose this one base on the stiffness you want the string-bed to have) in crosses.
Amazing video as always. I just got the Speed MP base on your previous video. It works amazingly good on offense. But strangely it feels like a 98 instead of 100 (small sweet spot & high swing weight). And since I'm 2.5-3.0ish, it would be great if you can have a 100 list for all-court game. I'm also wondering your take on the ezone 100. I've heard it is a really good one.
Speed Pro is my choice👌MP was good too but I always preferred the feel and launch on the Pro…even with my one hander I prefer the Pro than a lot of 98s
Hey Luca, I’m wondering if a should pick the pure strike 98 16 by 19 or the Wilson rf 01, I want a racquets that gives me a lot of control and above average power and it has a lower launch-angel but still has good manoeuvrability and spin potential?
How do you feel about the new Pure Strike 100 16x20? Could that take the spot of the PS 98 16x19? My main stick is the Blade V9 98 18x20 with the only customization being a leather grip, and I consider myself an all-court player and I feel like it gets the job done. I probably should be using the 16x19 but something about dense string patterns just feels right to me when I'm hitting. It gives me the trajectory that I want. That's why I'm playing around with the idea of the 16x20 Strike. I can get the feel and control of a denser string pattern with a bit more power when I want it and I'm assuming it'd be more forgiving.
Completely agree re: the 23mm beam thickness of the Speed. It's the one reason, that it does not agree with my one handed backhand - 100 sq.in. + 23 mm beam is just too much to drag around on the backhand side. I used to play with the Head YouTek Graphene Speed Pro Limited from 2013 (which has a 22mm beam). Hitting with that compared to the 2024 version, the 2013 version is significantly easier to manoeuvre. My current racquet is the HEAD Prestige MP 2021 with a bit of added weight to lower the balance point to just under 33cm (32.8 - 32.9cm) using an overgrip and a bit of lead. This is an excellent all rounder: 18x19 string pattern (good blend of spin and control), 99 sq.in., 21.5mm constant beam, 66 RA, 337grams strung (with customisation), and 32.9cm balance (listed as 33cm, but mine were all over 33cm). Feel is great as part of the Prestige heritage, but it is much more modern than the Pro without being too muted. Volley stability is excellent. Not sure about the swing weight, as I don't have easy access to the right machinery, but it is listed as 334 grams, and it certainly plays like a racquet with plenty of plow through to flatten out the shot and add pace. I was taught tennis back in the 80'ies, so I don't mind the heavier weight for serving and really enjoy serving with it, but some have found it too much (note the TW review).
@RacketsRunnersVancouver (Luca) - I have 2022 Speed MP (Aux. 1), and it is close to 2.0 swingweight. Would you still consider and rank 1.0 this high as the all court frame?
I use the head radical pro and honestly i was surprised to not see it on this list. So my question here is what do you think it lacks compared to the 5 rackets that you mentioned in this video
Speed MP has one huge downside - it’s swingweight is barely manageable by average player. And since it’s already so high, if you won’t get lucky with QC (as it was in my case), you will end up with 340sw sledgehummer that will destroy your technique and arm. Luka, it would be very interesting to take Speed MPL and customize it to 300 static and 320sw, to check if it will have all the good characteristics of MP, while being much more accessible for not so advanced players
Thanks for the video, never easy to compile any ‘best’ type list content… you’re on a hiding to nothing. For what it’s worth I’m in the Blade 100 camp for all round playability, a recent discovery that I’m loving.👍🏻
I think this list is ridiculous. Speed MP as a all court racquet??? Are you nuts? 300g (too light), open 16x19 pattern (favour baseline) etc. Ezone is also more versatile than the baseline orientated Vcore. RF01 Pro is the best all court racquet that's been released this year by a measure of lightyears provided you're at a decent technical level of play.
First off, I appreciate Luka for his enthusiasm and passion, and most of the racquets in the video are great for their own reasons. That said, I think this list is a bit off-base in a way, mainly due to the conflation of what it means to be truly "all court", at least in the classic sense, versus what's being construed here, which is more baseline-centric play that happens to bring the player into the court, but not necessarily as a first intent. Those are two different animals, and this list seems primarily based on the second. True thoroughbred all-court sticks are equally, if not more, at home actually playing most of the point in the mid and fore court (ie. up at net), and such a group would include silos such as Pro Staff, Prestige, C10, even Percept or CX. But the problem of course is "modern" all-court is devoid of the kind of gentler cat-and-mouse tennis that would call for such tools (and thus why they're dying out). Instead, "modern all-court" is much more centered on baseline bashing one's way into a close-out position, possibly ending the point with a drop shot or maybe a mid-court put-away. That's not true all-court tennis, at least not in the classic sense. And thus, the list in this video isn't a list a true all-court frames. As such, I think a better video name might be "Attacking baseliner frames with all-court tendencies", or something like that. I know that probably seems like splitting hairs to some, but I think it's a distinction worth noting, considering how the game has changed.
I’d be first inline to sign a petition to have the Number 1 racquet turned into a 98sq. Leave the beam width though, because the reduction in frame size should gain more precision
Speed MP was the worst of the racquets I've ever played. Clunky, slow, less precise. One hander, slice and serve were not great either. Babolat aero 98 and head extreme pro are my favorites. Yonex r. are good as well. Never played Blade. Speed MP is an overrated racquet. Number 1?.... 😂
