Mike enjoyed testing the new Head Radical MP 2023 ! This racket offers an excellent mix of power and control, a lot of speed and the new Auxetic technology.
Tested racket/specifications:
Brand: Head Model: Radical MP 2023 Head size: 98 sq/inch Weight: 300 gr Balance: 32.0 cm String pattern: 16×19 Length: 27 inch RA: 65 Beam: 20mm / 23mm / 21mm Head CPI (Control Power Index): 400 Swingweight: 323 Stringing: Diadem Pro X 17 at 23/22 kg
Intro:
I personally looked forward to this 2023 update of the Radical MP and the Radical racket family in general. The Auxetic technology has proven itself well in all Head racket lines, only the Radical and Gravity series were next in line. Auxetic turns out to be a bull's-eye: it gives the rackets a very nice feel at ball impact and ensures a solid frame without feeling too stiff. So now it's the turn of the new Radical MP.Baseline:
You can actually feel quite quickly whether a racket suits you or not. With the first few balls I felt that it would be great sessions with this racket. The feeling of the ball is simply very pleasant: you feel what you are doing and also when you are not doing it right. You get what you put into it, simply put. Not as bad as with a Prestige, but it is immediately noticeable. Strokes from the baseline were controlled with excellent length and speed, with my double-handed backhand in particular coming off very easily. Maybe because of the slightly longer grip, which makes it easier to place my 2nd hand, maybe just the feeling at ball impact. The racket is quick to get into position and very manoeuvrable, but also produces a good full ball. Our demo had a swingweight of 320.5, right in the middle of my ideal swingweight range of roughly 315-325.
The racket therefore has sufficient mass in the ball, which was also noticeable with slice backhands. If you hit the ball well in time, the racket will continue to do the work. The spinning potential is decent despite the fact that this 16x19 stringing pattern is fairly compact due to the 8 longitudinal strings that pass through the heart piece. All in all, a nice mix of power, control and speed from the baseline.
Service:
Somewhat surprisingly, I was able to easily produce full services, normally not my greatest weapon. Services went very consistently and with good length without losing control, which I occasionally had during my previous test of the Prince Beast 100 300. Slice services from right out were delicious. In short, this racket scores better than expected (and also better than the previous Graphene 360+ version) in this area.
Just:
The net lacked a little bit of finesse with this new Radical MP. Hard incoming balls were easy to parry, but stopping volleys just lacked some touch. Maybe a snapshot, but noticeable to me anyway. The racket is very manoeuvrable at the net and can therefore be quickly positioned.
Power/control Head Radical MP 2023:
As you would expect from a Radical MP, the balance between power and control is also excellent in this new version. Enough power, but always controlled without being too low-powered. The racket also feels nice and crisp and certainly not too damped. An excellent mix of power and control, where control has the upper hand.
Comfort/arm-friendliness:
The comfort of the Head Radical MP 2023 is decent, a good 7.5 I would say. The Pro X is a slightly stiffer string than average, but this did not cause any problems for my arm or shoulder. For example, hard serves can be easily blocked without the racket vibrating excessively. Just nice and solid.
Head Radical MP 2023 bottom line:
The Radical MP 2023 does what we have come to expect from a Radical MP: it offers a very nice mix of power and control. Controlled power, so to speak. In addition, the feeling of ball impact has also been improved and you can easily produce a full ball without going off course. Very solid option for the player with an average to slightly fuller swing that also feels nice and fast.