Head Graphene Touch Prestige Midplus Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 82

The Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP has a low power level, but it was still maneuverable from the baseline. Chris said, "The Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP was definitely a step in the right direction for Head. I loved the YOUTEK IG version but have been underwhelmed since. This racquet had a better feel. It didn't feel as hollow and disconnected as the last two iterations. My touch shots were on target and I felt dialed in. I much preferred this racquet strung very low with a co-poly string. Right now I'm hitting with a racquet with a very open string pattern, which made this racquet somewhat of an adjustment. Low tensions helped get a higher trajectory and some depth back into my hitting. The Prestige MP didn't drive through the ball as well on my topspin backhand compared to the new Mid version, which further exacerbated my desire to string it around 36 lbs. We strung it mostly around 50 lbs for the playtest as a good mid-point for everyone. When I made errors with this racquet they were usually in the net or short balls that sat up for my opponents. Depth may have proved a problem, but hitting drop shots was easy!"

"I really enjoyed how maneuverable and controlled this racquet was from the baseline," said Sean. "It felt like an extension of my arm — it was like I could just imagine shots and then subsequently conjure whatever came to mind. The Graphene Touch Prestige MP was so low-powered that extreme angles and redirections were doable, and downright fun. I could see how the lack of power might deter many players from playing with this racquet, but it honestly just suited my counterpunching game so well. The hardest adjustment for me was the trajectory on my forehand, which was surprisingly low even for a dense string pattern, and I needed to really throw the racquet down to bring the ball up and over the net."

With plenty of experience with the Prestige line, Mark was able to compare the MP to the Pro. He stated, "My first foray with any Prestige frame was from the MicroGel family, and ever since then I have benefited from the precision these frame types offer. I played with the Pro and the MP side by side for most of this playtest, and they are very similar from the baseline. The MP's tight 18x20 string pattern just launches the ball off the stringbed at a slightly lower angle. I still can achieve a tight rotation on the ball with the Graphene Touch Prestige MP, and my backhand slice was about as good as it gets (for me), but it was not quite as easy to arc the ball high over the net with the MP, relative to the Pro."

Hitting with the Prestige MP brought back memories for Granville. He reminisced, "The Graphene Touch Prestige MP reminds me of an old friend; its weight and balance are similar to performance racquets of the past. It made me think of my old Wilson 6.1. I could sink the ball deep into the stringbed pocket to get that little extra bit of power and spin. I could see that extra spin bringing down my groundstrokes deep into the other side of the court. As a flat ball hitter, this meant more points for me. Even with the 18 mains, I got good spin and received comfortable feedback, which tempted me to take my game up a notch. I was left wanting to hit harder, deeper and with more control."

Volleys - Score: 83

The Graphene Touch Prestige MP offered the touch and control the TW playtesters craved when ending points at net. Mark was impressed, saying, "I was confident from the baseline with the Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP, and that confidence only increased as I approached the net. Most any passing shot I could reach at net was effectively dealt with, making the volley my favorite shot to hit with this racquet."

Chris enjoyed the Graphene Touch Prestige Midplus at net. He noted, "I felt connected to my shots and had fun watching my volleys hit their intended targets. I liked the stability the racquet offered. The solid response allowed me to relax and let the racquet do the work. Getting depth was easier at net compared to hitting from the baseline since I was usually working with a faster incoming ball and was hitting a shorter distance. I felt like the tight stringbed favored adding some slice to volleys, which got them bouncing low and helped me finish off the point."

"The Prestige MP is solid and stable at the net," agreed Granville. "I was very comfortable punching volleys deep in the court. At just under 12 oz strung, there is plenty of mass, yet it still had good maneuverability. As soon as I got comfortable with this MP up at the net my game picked up, and I was able to hit volleys and overheads effortlessly."

Sean was able to tap into the touch and feel of the Graphene Touch Prestige MP. He said, "I really had to find the sweetspot to get ample punch through the court, but the Prestige MP felt swift and surgical on stab volleys and touch shots due to the tight string pattern and lowish swingweight. It still had that 'ahhhh' feel when I connected right on a volley, and the sound was so sweet."

Serves - Score: 80

The TW playtesters continued to find a more control-oriented response when serving with the Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP, and they found themselves using the precision they found as a weapon. Sean had plenty of options when it came to serving. He detailed, "With the disclaimer that I had to generate a lot of my own pace on serve, this racquet performed exceptionally well in all other areas. My spot serving was rewarded, while still leaving open the opportunity to go for big flat serves. The balance felt fluid and rhythmic during my motion, rendering the racquet reliable and consistent during matchplay."

Chris' flat and slice serves worked well with this racquet. He added, "I felt like I got enough drive through the ball and seemed to be able to use the weight of the racquet better on serve than I did on groundstrokes. I enjoyed the directional control. My flat serves felt especially precise. Slicing serves away from or into the returner also proved effective with this racquet. On second serves I added some additional slice and called it good. I also felt confident enough to mix in some serve and volley on both first and second serves."

Granville found success right away. He offered, "There was very little adjustment needed to start serving accurately, which immediately resulted in getting some free points with some aces out wide on both sides. Typically, performance style racquets have lower power levels and this Prestige MP was no exception, as I need to create my own power on the serve. Targeting was in line with what I am accustomed to so there were no surprises there."

On the other hand, Mark was having trouble finding his groove. He critiqued, "The weight and balance of the Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP was great for me, but its tight 18x20 string pattern challenged me a little. I was not able to get the sort of grip on the ball that I prefer on my serve."

Returns - Score: 82

The TW playtesters raved when it came time to return serves. Granville was impressed, saying, "This new Graphene Touch Prestige MP was just the right weight for me. It was light enough to get around any tennis ball on the return, yet had enough weight to really throttle the ball when in the strike zone. I suspect this Prestige MP will be a popular choice for tournament players of any age."

Mark was able to hit any type of return with ease. He described, "Although the tight string pattern of the Graphene Touch Prestige MP challenged me on serve, I had no such issue on the serve return. The 18x20 string pattern nicely complemented both my backhand chip and topspin returns, and was only a small challenge on my forehand wing."

Returns were definitely one of the highlights of this playtest for Sean. He explained, "I reveled in the scope of options the MP afforded me on returns. If my opponent hit a big flat serve or spun the ball wide I would block or chip the ball, which gave me time to get back in the court. If they took some pace off their serve I could take a bigger cut and rely on the low power to bring the ball down. This adaptability is a quintessential characteristic of a return-friendly racquet, and I have to say the possibilities are enjoyable."

"The Graphene Touch Prestige MP felt great on returns," concluded Chris. "I felt like I could swing away and be very aggressive without worrying about overhitting. Since I didn't have to generate much of my own power on returns I focused on directing the ball to my targets, and the racquet responded perfectly. I liked the amount of topspin and slice that I found. The response felt solid, but it did get a tad too firm if I connected a little too high in the stringbed."

Overall - Score: 81