The Head Speed MP 2022 tested by Mike. The new Speed MP is a real all-rounder with a mix of speed, spin and controllable power!
Tested racket/specifications:
Brand: Head Model: Speed MP 2022 Head size: 100 sq/inch Weight: 300 gr Balance: 32.0 cm String pattern: 16×19 Length: 27 inch RA: 62 Beam: 23mm / 23mm / 23mm Head CPI (Control Power Index): 500 Swingweight: 323 Stringing: Diadem ProTester:
Name: Mike Playing strength: 4/4 Type of player: more classic player, flat groundstrokes, does not generate much spin. Had shoulder problems in the past. Racket history player: including Head Ti Fire, Babolat Pure Drive, Prince EXO3 Rebel Team, Wilson Steam 100 BLX2, Head Graphene Radical MP, Prince Textreme Warrior 107, Diadem Elevate FS 98, Tecnifibre T-Fight RS 300 and Wilson Blade 98 16x19 V7. Other favorite rackets: Head Graphene 360+ Speed MP and the Babolat Pure Strike 100.
Intro:
I personally tested the last 3 editions of the Speed MP. I thought the Graphene Touch version was wonderfully solid, but it lacked some punch. This was followed by the Graphene 360 variant, which was very fast, but less full in terms of playing feel. The Graphene 360+ Speed MP met my expectations more in that regard: more feeling and stability while maintaining speed. Now it's the turn of the Speed MP 2022, a test that I have been really looking forward to, partly because the Auxetic technology seems to be a bull's-eye for Head. This is now also in the new Speed series. Auxetic is applied around the heart piece (the yoke more specifically) of the racket. It's a bit difficult to explain, see here for the full technical explanation by Head himself . In any case, it gives the racket very fine control over the ball, as if the ball remains 'sticky' in the string bed for a little longer. When it comes off, it does so with a lot of speed and energy in the ball. I previously tested the Boom Pro with the same Auxetic technology and it also played very well.Test scores Head Speed MP 2022:
Power: 8.5 Control: 8 Spin: 8.5 Comfort: 7.5 Agility/Speed: 9 Touch: 8
Baseline:
From the baseline it is great to play with the Speed MP 2022. The racket is fast and easily produces a full ball. You can easily gain length in your strokes, without immediately going off the rails in terms of power. The right dose of power is therefore easy to control. I tested this new Speed MP for several sessions, both outdoors on gravel and indoors on carpet. I thought the spin potential was another striking feature. The racket offered easier spin than expected. The racket also has a lot of feeling for drop shots, for example. With the previous Graphene 360+ version, my balls sometimes floated a bit quickly, but I now had less trouble with that. Personally, I only missed a little bit of (extra) plow-through when cutting my slice backhand, if I may express a small point of criticism. However, this can easily be remedied with a little bit of lead at 3 and 9 o'clock. All in all: a wonderfully fast weapon with sufficient punch and a fairly forgiving feel without losing the connection with the ball. This racket plays like a charm from the baseline!Service:
The service is not really a weapon of mine. However, with this racket I did get enough free power to be able to play at full pressure straight away. Maybe it's all in your head, but it seems as if the racket has a certain sway when serving. Possibly another advantage of the Auxetic technology. I had a little more trouble with my kick serve, but that may have been more my fault. Slices serves from right out went with great confidence and ease.
Just:
While I missed some net stability in my last playtest of the Wilson Clash 98 V2, this Speed MP does provide it properly. The racket is fast and solid, which gives confidence at the net. Smashes are also easy to put away thanks to the dose of free power. The agility is also good for quick reflexes at the net.Power/control Head Speed MP 2022:
The Speed MP 2022 from Head is one of the few 100 sq/inch rackets that is still somewhat control-oriented. Usually you end up with 100 sq/inch rackets in the Pure Drive range and all its counterparts. In that respect, the Speed MP is much better balanced, just like the Babolat Pure Strike 100 and the Wilson Blade 100 V8, expected later this year. But actually there are few control-oriented 100 sq/inch rackets, or at least rackets with this head size that also have/offer decent control. In that respect, the Speed MP 2022 is a really nice one for the player who finds a 98 sq/inch racket a bit too small in terms of sweet spot, but often does not find the control as desired with most 100 sq/inch rackets. I think the power/control ratio is even better than the previous version, also because you have a longer connection with the ball, which makes placing the balls more 'natural'.Comfort/arm-friendliness :
The comfort of the Speed MP 2022 is good. The racket has a fairly forgiving feel and a fairly generous sweet spot without losing feeling over the ball. Direct enough in terms of playing, but not too snappy on the arm or anything like that. The comfort is therefore well taken care of. The Head Speed MP 2022 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!
