Head Graphene XT Speed MP A Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 79

Our playtesters were able to hit with both string patterns of the Graphene XT Speed MP A and found success with both setups. Brittany explained, "Having playtested the previous version of the Speed MP with success, I eagerly jumped on the court to try out this update. My first impression was that I loved the ability to interchange the two different grommets to get two string patterns. While I'm not the biggest fan of extremely open string patterns, I appreciated having the ability to choose. I found the 16x19 version of the Graphene XT Speed MP A to be very similar to the previous Speed MP. There was a nice combination of power and control and excellent maneuverability. I would say it's slightly more control-oriented than powerful. My big surprise came when I tried the 16x16 string pattern. There was little to no adjustment period required and I could go from one string pattern to the other without a hitch. The 16x16 string pattern gave my groundstrokes some extra power, spin and depth compared to the 16x19 version. Nonetheless, I don't think I could pick a favorite between the two string patterns because each had qualities I really enjoyed."

"This was a very lightweight, whippy racquet that made it easy to take the ball on the rise and quickly change the ball's direction," explained Karly. "Just like the previous version, the Graphene XT Speed MP A offered a fairly even combination of power and control; only this time if I wanted more power from the racquet I could change the grommets to the open string pattern for a much livelier feel. I usually like denser string patterns for more control, but I was surprised to find that I preferred playing with the open ASP grommets. Overall, I thought the racquet was too light and lacked plow through and stability. I had a hard time getting depth on my shots and the racquet fluttered in my hand, especially when hitting outside the center of the stringbed. Changing to the 16x16 string pattern expanded the sweetspot for a more forgiving response, making it easier to generate power for deeper shots. I also can't leave out how much more spin-friendly those 16x16 grommets made the racquet. The access to spin improved drastically and made it very easy to put a variety of spins on the ball."

Being a fan of extremely open string patterned racquets, Jason was excited to try out the new Graphene XT Speed MP A. He said, "The 16x16 string pattern was the clear favorite for me. Spin is a big part of my game, and it helped make my shots more effective. I also felt like it was more maneuverable than the 16x19 version, so I was able to get it through the contact point faster. The racquet did feel a bit stiffer than I would've preferred, so I dropped the string tension a couple pounds."

The Graphene XT Speed MP A didn't quite fit Granville's style of play. He said, "I could feel every gram of the tennis ball as it impacted the stringbed of this Graphene XT Speed MP A. At lower swing speeds the ball tends to launch comfortably from the stringbed. At higher swing speeds I could feel the flex of the shaft and the potential for excellent control. This is true with both grommet sets of the Adaptive String Pattern. The downside is that at the 11 ounce mark this racquet is just a bit too light to add anything to my game (where I like 12+ ounces). As with other 'spin' racquets, I have to increase my swing speed greatly to acquire the full benefit."

Volleys - Score: 80

Our playtesters enjoyed the maneuverability that the Head Graphene XT Speed MP A offered but had mixed opinions on which string pattern they preferred up at net. Karly leaned toward the 16x16 string pattern, saying, "Along with its tremendous mobility, I loved all the touch the frame offered. One of my favorite shots with this racquet was the short touch volley because it was so easy to hit. I also thought the stability of this lighter frame was better on volleys. It wasn't as unstable and it didn't flutter in my hand as much on contact. I preferred the extremely open grommet setup compared to the denser string pattern because of the larger sweetspot. The open string pattern made the racquet more forgiving and I found good power while still being able to control my shots. Coming up to the net for volleys was my favorite thing to do because of the XT Speed MP A's excellent maneuverability, touch and improved stability."

Granville added, "Again, and with both grommets, this racquet is a great counter puncher. It's a bit too light to really add some pace to the shot, but it's maneuverable and stable enough to keep me in any point."

"Coming up to the net, I found the crisp, maneuverable feel that I experienced with the previous version," raved Brittany. "I found success with a variety of volleys. My most comfortable volley to hit with any racquet is a deep put-away volley, and I was able to execute that shot exceptionally well with this racquet. I was also able to soften my hands to hit shorter, angled volleys to finish off the point. Between the two string patterns, I gravitated more toward the 16x19 pattern. Nonetheless, I still enjoyed volleying with the 16x16 string pattern since I got a little extra pop on the ball."

This is the one area where Jason preferred the 16x19 string pattern. He explained, "It felt more stable on off center volleys, and the higher swingweight handled pace better, too. Plus, with the 16x16 my volleys tended to float long and spray a bit, while the 16x19 gave me a more controlled response."

Serves - Score: 77

Our playtesters found benefits from both string patterns while serving with the Head Graphene XT Speed MP A, and they were once again split on which was pattern was their favorite. For serves, Brittany actually preferred the 16x16 string pattern. She offered, "The 16x16 gave me some extra power on my first serve and extra spin on my second without me having to do anything differently. The 16x19 string pattern still offered outstanding maneuverability and a little extra control. Serving out wide to the deuce side was my favorite serve to hit with this racquet."

Jason agreed, adding, "I felt like I could accelerate the Graphene XT Speed MP A very quickly on my serve with the 16x16 string pattern. Therefore, I not only served with some much needed pace (for me), but also lots of spin. I really enjoyed serving with this racquet."

On the other hand, Karly found more success with the 16x19 string pattern. She said, "Serving was the only area that I liked playing with the denser string pattern more. It hardly took any energy to hit a fast serve, and the ball flew off the stringbed on contact. I needed all the control I could get, and it took a lot of effort to keep my serves from going long with the open string pattern. Though the access to spin was great with both string patterns (especially the 16x16), and I could rely on spin to keep the ball in."

Granville struggled a bit on serves, explaining, "Serving is where I really detected a drop in power over my regular racquet. I think it could be from the 11 ounce weight of the racquet or the soft flex of the racquet shaft."

Returns - Score: 78

Our playtesters were able to hit a variety of returns with the Head Graphene XT Speed MP A. Jason noted, "Again, the 16x16 won me over. Great maneuverability meant I could take full cuts at the ball, and the open string pattern meant I could impart tons of spin. Therefore, I was able to aim a bit deeper and still have the ball drop in. The racquet did flutter more than I would've preferred with off-center shots, though."

"The maneuverability was especially nice for returns," raved Karly. "Like groundstrokes, it was really easy to hit the ball on the rise for a fast return. I was able to control the direction of the ball with timing and hopefully get my opponents out of position by hitting the ball early. The only time I came into trouble was when I was hitting against hard servers and didn't make contact in the center of the stringbed. It was too light against fast serves and lacked plow through, which made it tough to hit a deep return because the racquet was pushed around easily, especially if I didn't make contact in the sweetspot."

Brittany liked a little more control on her returns and favored the 16x19 string pattern. She said, "Like the previous version, maneuverability was the highlight when hitting this stroke. I leaned toward the 16x19 string pattern when it came to returns. I liked having that extra bit of control and I could take full swings at the ball. I didn't need the extra power that came with the 16x16; using the pace from the serve was sufficient with the 16x19. I would have liked a tad more stability when it came to returning serves from bigger servers."

"I was fine chipping and slicing some bigger serves throughout the playtest," declared Granville. "I am simply accustomed to a bit more mass in my racquets, so the stability of the serve return is an issue for me. If timed perfectly, I could achieve some solid feel and pace, but there was simply no getting around the need for more mass for stability (and power)."

Overall - Score: 80

Technical Specifications Length 27 inches 69 centimeters Head Size 100 square inches 645 square centimeters Weight 11.1 ounces 315 grams Balance Point 13.07 inches 33 centimeters 3.44pts Head Light Construction 22mm / 22mm / 22mm Composition Graphene XT String Pattern 16 Mains / 16 Crosses String Pattern 16 Mains / 19 Crosses

Babolat RDC Ratings Score Grade Flex Rating 67 Range: 0-100 16x16 Swing Weight 321 Range: 200-400 16x19 Swing Weight 323 Range: 200-400

Scores

(Scores are determined by averaging individual play test scores)

Playtester Profiles

Brittany: Open level player with a semi-western forehand and a two-handed backhand. She currently plays with the Yonex EZONE Ai 100.

Jason: 5.0 4.0 baseliner with a semi-western forehand and two handed backhand. Currently using a Yonex EZONE Ai 100.

Karly: 4.0 baseline player currently playing with the Volkl Organix 10 Mid. She hits with a semi-western forehand grip and uses a two handed backhand.

Gran: 5.5 all-court player currently using a Wilson Pro Staff 97. Granville is an aggressive player who uses an eastern forehand grip and goes continental on everything else, hits with a flat swing and a one-handed backhand.

Review date: October 2014. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

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