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!
Head Speed MP 2022 – Tested by Mike
The new Head Speed MP 2022 is a true all-rounder with a great mix of speed, spin and controllable power.
Tested racket:
- Brand : Head
- Model : Speed MP 2022
- Blade size : 100 sq/inch
- Weight : 300 gr
- Balance : 32.0 cm
- Stringing pattern : 16×19
- Length : 27 inches
- RA : 62
- Beam : 23mm / 23mm / 23mm
- Head CPI (Control Power Index) : 500
- Swingweight : 323
- Stringing : Diadem Pro X 17 on 23/22 kg
The Head Speed MP 2022 is now available in our webshop, including free stringing of your choice!
Tester:
I have tested the last three editions of the Speed MP. The Graphene Touch version was solid, but lacked some power. The Graphene 360 was fast, but felt less full. The Graphene 360+ met my expectations more: more feel and stability while maintaining speed.
Now it's time for the Speed MP 2022, a test I was looking forward to because of the Auxetic technology, which is now also in the new Speed series. This technology, applied around the heart piece (yoke) of the racket, gives a very nice control over the ball, as if the ball stays in the string bed a bit longer before it takes off with a lot of speed and energy. I previously tested the Boom Pro with the same Auxetic technology, which also played very pleasantly.
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, the Speed MP 2022 plays wonderfully. The racket is fast and produces a full ball with ease. You easily get length in your strokes without generating too much power. The combination of power and control is well balanced.
I tested the Speed MP 2022 both outdoors on clay and indoors on carpet. What struck me was the good spin potential – better than expected. The racket also has a lot of feel, for example with drop shots. The previous Graphene 360+ version sometimes had a tendency to make balls "float" a bit, but I had less of that problem now.
One small downside: I missed a bit of extra plough-through on my slice backhand. However, this can be remedied with some extra lead at 3 and 9 o'clock. All in all, this is a wonderfully fast racket with sufficient punch and a forgiving feel, without losing contact with the ball. From the baseline, this racket plays like a charm!
Service :
Service is not my strong suit, but with the Speed MP 2022 I got enough free power to play with pressure. It seemed like the racket had a certain "swing" when serving, possibly thanks to the Auxetic technology. My kick serve was a bit less consistent, but slices from the right went smoothly and with a lot of confidence.
Just:
At the net, the Speed MP offers sufficient stability. The racket is fast and solid, which gives a lot of confidence with volleys. Smashes are easy to put away due to the free power that the racket offers. The maneuverability makes quick reflexes at the net easy.
Power/Control :
The Speed MP 2022 is one of the few 100 sq/inch racquets that is still control-oriented. Many 100 sq/inch racquets, such as the Pure Drive and similar frames, focus more on power. However, the Speed MP offers a much better balance between power and control, comparable to the Babolat Pure Strike 100 or the upcoming Wilson Blade 100 V8.
For players who find the sweet spot of a 98 sq/inch racket too small but want more control than most 100 sq/inch rackets offer, the Speed MP 2022 is an excellent choice. The power/control ratio is better than the previous version, and the longer connection with the ball makes placing balls feel more natural.
Comfort/Arm-friendliness :
The comfort of the Speed MP 2022 is good. The racket has a forgiving feel and a generous sweet spot without losing the ball feel. It is direct enough, but not too heavy for the arm. The comfort is well taken care of, and you get a nice mix of precision and arm-friendliness.
