Stephan has been testing the new Head Gravity 2023 rackets over the past few weeks. Here is an extensive review of the Head Gravity MP 2023. A review of the Pro version will follow soon.
Tester:
- Name : Stephan Couzijn
- Level : 5/6
- Player type : All-court player, eastern grip, one-handed backhand, fairly flat shots.
- Own racket : Yonex EZONE DR 98, Wilson Clash 100, Head Graphene 360+ Extreme Tour.
- Racket history : Including Wilson Pro Staff 6.0 95, Wilson Six-One 95, Head Radical, Babolat Pure Storm Tour GT, Wilson Pro Staff 95, Yonex VCORE 98.
Tested racket – Specifications:
- Brand : Head
- Model : Gravity MP 2023
- Blade size : 100 sq/inch
- Weight : 295 gr
- Balance : 32.5 cm
- Stringing pattern : 16×20
- Length : 27 inches
- RA : 59
- Beam : 22mm / 22mm / 22mm
- Head CPI (Control Power Index) : 400
- Swingweight : 319 (demo was 323)
- Stringing : Head Hawk 1.25 on average number of kg
Intro:
2023 has brought a lot of new racket releases, and I was really looking forward to the update of the Head Gravity line, especially the MP. I had tested the first Gravity MP before, and although I thought it was a great racket because of the 16x20 string pattern, it was just a little too light to be stable enough against hard hitters.
With the new Gravity MP 2023, subtle changes have been made. The racket still weighs 295 grams, has a head size of 100 sq/inch and a frame width of 22 mm. The most important improvement is the addition of the Auxetic technology, which provides a more direct ball feel and more stability. The swingweight has also been increased, which further improves stability.
Racket Review
Baseline :
The difference between the old Gravity MP and the new Auxetic version is immediately noticeable from the baseline. The racquet has more power and feels more stable, mainly due to the higher swingweight and the Auxetic technology. Although the racquet could benefit from some extra weight, it is already much more stable than its predecessor in its current form.
My strokes, both backhand and forehand, came through easily with sufficient length and control. The launch angle seems a bit lower, which suits my flat strokes well. The slice backhand came out razor sharp, but the spin potential was a bit less than with other rackets, probably due to the center of gravity that is more towards the top of the frame. Nevertheless, it was easy to get a lot of length in my strokes.
Volleys:
At the net, it was easy to volley, just like with its predecessor. Due to the relatively light weight, it was not difficult to maneuver the racket quickly. The racket feels solid, which allowed me to 'push through' the volleys well and put them away. With the smashes, you feel that there is a little more weight in the top of the racket. You can really fire hard. The balls explode off it. To be honest, the volleying went better than expected. My expectation of a 100 sq/inch head with a hefty swingweight was that it would be difficult to react compared to, for example, my own Head Extreme Tour or the Head Radical MP 2023, but that was not the case at all.
Serve:
As expected, serving with the Head Gravity MP 2023 was very easy. The racket has more than enough power to deliver cannonballs in all angles and positions. Sliced serves also come off well. Despite the swingweight, I get more than enough racket head speed to land the balls in the service box at high speed. Precision is sometimes difficult for me with a 100 sq/inch frame. Somehow the balls sometimes want to shoot off, causing me to lose control with full-throttle balls. That is not the case with this Head Gravity MP Auxetic. I think the 16x20 string pattern makes a positive contribution to this, together with the slim construction of the frame. Just a little more control than an open 16x19 and not as planky as an 18x20. In short, the best of both worlds.
