9 Best Head Tennis Rackets for All Experience Levels

Changing rackets is big deal and it’s a decision that should not be taken lightly.

An oddly designed racket has the power to completely alter how you play the game. It’s why many professional players go years without ever changing the model or make of theirs’.

It’s their weapon of choice in matches of great importance and they have to have faith that it will control the ball how it’s supposed to in the moments that matter the most.

So put that racket down that you’ve just randomly picked off the shelf! You don’t even know what you’re buying yet. Thank goodness we’ve found you before you walked to the check-out. Who knows what sort of catastrophe you might have ran into on the tennis court had we not!

Now that we’ve avoided potential disaster, you can have a look through this list of 9 of the best HEAD tennis rackets currently on the market.

If they’re good enough for Novak Djokovic, they’ll probably be good enough for us!

Head Tennis Racket Reviews

Head Graphene 360+ Speed Pro

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As the name of this model suggests, this racket is reliant on your ability to get around the court quickly and fast. If you’re a player that gets balls back into play consistently, this could well be what you’ve been on the lookout for.

With a serious black and white gloss frame finish, this racket certainly looks the part and the technology it comes with is not to be laughed at either. Coming packed with new graphene 360+ to help you maintain control of each shot, HEAD have kept their focus firmly on allowing you to hit shots accurately when on the run.

Coming in at 180 grams unstrung, this is a nicely balanced racket at only 1 point head light. This means that the racket is finely weighted throughout the beam, with only a little more beef around the head than the handle.

With a head size of 100 square inches and a string pattern of 18/20, this racket will be just perfect for you to easily redirect pace from the baseline in extended rallies without concern.

HEAD have taken the time to create a racket here for the more experienced player. This is not what you should be buying as a first racket, either for yourself or anyone else. The 360+ is brilliant but will be somewhat unforgiving on beginners.

With that said, this is a brilliant racket, shaped and put together to build something for a specific type of player in mind. This is easily one of the very best options if you’re looking to find the very best HEAD racket for advanced players.

HEAD Graphene 360+ Gravity Pro

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This is a nice looking racket, the green/blue edges popping out against the black background of the frame to create a design that wouldn’t look out of place in a Tron movie. Essentially, it’s a modern color scheme.

Despite its thin overall beam, this is a rather weighty racket. In fact, it’s the heaviest in the Gravity range! Tipping the scales at an impressive 315 grams unstrung and 330 when strung up, this racket is designed to provide a unique level of feel to the player using it.

You might imagine that a beefy racket like this would provide an immense amount of power behind the swing but actually, it’s the opposite. The weight of the frame requires the player to generate the big swings necessary to impart pace on each shot. This is a racket that should be wielded only by those comfortable with creating their own momentum continually in rallies.

With a head size of 100 square inches and a frame that stretches out to resemble a teardrop shape, the sweet spot on this racket is larger than many others currently on the market. This allows you to have the freedom to take cuts at the ball without concerning yourself with unforced errors.

This is another racket for the advanced players out there. The weight of this alone will scare off any beginners looking to be eased in as smoothly as possible to the sport.

 If you’re someone who regularly finds yourself frustrated after overpowering multiple balls out beyond the baseline, this racket will help anchor your shots.

HEAD Microgel Radical

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Having continually updated their Radical line of rackets with new technology, HEAD have consistently been looking for ways to offer player’s an unparalleled level of comfort. Their gel designs are one of their most successful inventions.

First, let’s get the boring stuff out the way.

The racket is balanced at 2 point head light, meaning that you’ll be able to get a great level of control through your swing. Power might have to be provided by you but you’ll be able to direct your shots exactly where you want them on the court consistently and cleanly.

A string weight of 312 grams is fairly weighty and will offer you a nice, solid swing, especially as you step up to return a powerful first serve. A 98 square inch frame comes with a good sized sweet spot and decent margin for error on those precision placement shots.

Right, now for the fun bit.

The gel tech that HEAD has placed at certain intervals around the racket frame combines with the graphene to help absorb and offset excess vibrations from hard swings. The gel itself has the lowest density of any known solid in existence and so is able to sponge up and redistribute these wobbles with ease.

All of this comes together to create a perfect racket for anyone looking for help with the aches and pains that are commonly associated with tennis elbow. This racket will take the strain off your arm and provide you with a cushioned comfort as you play.

Players looking for a bit more accuracy in their game should give this a try. It’s not a power player’s racket but focuses instead on providing a pain free experience for the club level intermediates. As a result, this is undoubtedly one of the very best HEAD rackets for tennis.

HEAD Graphene Touch Radical MP

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Replacing the integrated gel technology of past iterations with a graphene touch material, HEAD has aimed to allow the frame of this racket to dampen shock vibrations and mute any jarring aches and arm pains as you take big swings at the ball.

This is a fairly heavy racket, slotting on the weight range at 311.84 grams when strung and ready for play. It’s also 4 points head light, meaning that a fair amount of the heaviness is placed within the handle rather than around the frame. This allows for easy maneuverability, especially when volleying away shots up at the net.

 A string pattern of 16/19 helps to make this racket ideal for players looking to impart that bit more spin on the ball. In baseline rallies, you’ll be able to take better control when directing balls deeper in the court.

This is a hard racket to place in terms of what sort of experience level a player should be before trying it out. The lack of feel it offers when striking through balls from the baseline is a by-product of the new dampening technology and certainly doesn’t make it a bad choice for players looking for a bit more power over control.

However, beginners may struggle to make full sense of how they should play with this racket and so we would probably recommend it to those of you who are slightly more experienced and tournament-ready. A great racket that values spin and pace over total ball control.

HEAD Graphene Extreme

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You contrast a black base frame with a yellowy greenish color pattern and you’re going to get a racket that looks fantastic. The Extreme provides a classic professional look for any player wielding it out there in the heat of match play.

This is a racket that tries to cover all bases, offering at least a good to great performance level wherever you’re standing on the court. The graphene technology here has been integrated with the specific aims of offering a stable racket that doesn’t feel too clunky as you swing.

Coming in at 315 grams, the Extreme may be relatively heavy but it won’t be weighing you down all too much. It manages to provide a level of manoeuvrability on the court without compromising on that solid feel on the volleys.

A fairly average 100 square inches in head size, this is a racket has doesn’t lack on power and will provide easy depth from the back of the court. Dropping the ball short by accident should be a thing of the past!

The 16/19 string pattern means that spin will be controllable and you can focus on placing balls around the court repeatedly when in the middle of lengthy baseline exchanges. At 4 points head light, you’ll be able to dictate play with power from the back of the court and still maintain momentum on any moves towards the net.

This racket may well prove slightly erratic for beginners but provides all of the core elements necessary for players with slightly more advanced games. Bringing everything that the Extreme offers together, you get what could well be the best HEAD racket for intermediate players.

HEAD Ti S6 Tennis Racket

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This is a truly bizarre looking racket that may put off any first-timers looking for something to help them settle into playing tennis. However, we here at Mind the Racket can’t recommend this enough!

Made out of highly durable and lightweight titanium, the frame is built to withstand any awkward falls and knocks that often come with a player’s first few swings on a tennis court. You won’t be breaking this in a hurry… unless you get REALLY angry… which we do not recommend!

The thick beam comes without the regular weight that you might expect. Coming in at only 252 grams, you’ll have to keep a proper hold of this, less it floats off into the sky… No, but really, easy maneuverability is provided by a frame that won’t anchor you down as you try to swing.

OK, let’s stop tip-toeing around the elephant in the room here.

The head shape is rather odd as it widens out at the very top of the frame, before quickly curving together to create an extreme tear-drop shape. In doing so, it stretches the sweet spot out and allows shots to generally be struck with far more confidence. This is an invaluable design decision that allows beginners to relax as they try tennis out for the first time.

As well as being slightly different in appearance, the racket is also head heavy. This means that it can be stable on volleys at the net despite its overall lack of weight.

It’s nice to see a racket company specifically appeal to first-time players with a product that actually caters to them and isn’t simply a slightly modified version of one of their more popular lines. The Ti S6 has been around far longer than most current rackets and provides a level of longevity not easily matched in today’s world of constant technological upgrades.

This Ti S6 is forgiving in a way that no other model has really managed to match and as a result, it could very well be the best HEAD racket for beginners ever…

AND! It’s cheap!

HEAD Graphene XT Radical S

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HEAD likes to throw graphene at racket designs fairly often and this is yet another example of that. Thankfully, this particular racket is great for all-round players looking for a model to rely on regardless of where they are on the court.

At just under 300 grams when on the scales, the XT is the lightest racket in the Radical line and because of that, it’s immensely maneuverable. You won’t be bothered by the weight as you’re desperately scrambling after balls when forced into defensive positions.

The 16/19 string pattern is great on this, allowing for easy accuracy consistently. It tightens around the sweet spot, providing that bit of extra spring for when you need slightly more power. Counterpunching from the back of the court will be the order of the day when playing with this.

The XT doesn’t lack in power either. HEAD claim that the 102 square inches of this frame is 30% more powerful than other similar models. As such, shots can be struck with confidence through the court time and time again in physical baseline exchanges.

Balanced at 4 points head light, this racket gives you its weight in the palm of your hand. This means you’ll find that you have easy control and can flick the racket around quickly to block back shots up at the net.

Players looking for a racket that provides forgiving power behind shots without any additional weight will be pleasantly surprised by the XT. This is up there with some of the best HEAD rackets in terms of value for money.

Head Geo Speed

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This racket comes with a black, white and green color scheme reminiscent of the Speed Pro but the oversized nature of the head size makes this a great offering for recreational players looking to play a bit more often. 

HEAD has focused a lot on designing a racket that offers power without compromising on control. To do this, they’ve incorporated what they are calling Geo Power Technology. This allows the shaft to remain perfectly stable as you swing through balls, allowing for that secure feeling that you’re looking for in long rallies.

As previously mentioned, the head size is slightly larger than most. Measuring in at 105 square inches, the sweet spot on the strings gets a necessary stretch. You’ll be able to put aside your worries about possible unforced errors and concentrate on consistency with this racket.

The head size may be larger but this racket actually has most of its weight based in the handle. The result of this will be a stable feeling on your groundstrokes and good manoeuvrability, especially when diving around up at the net to perfect those volleys.

On the scales, the Geo only comes up at 295 grams. You won’t have to drag this through shots in an effort to gain power and you’ll find that you’re able to cut angles off better on those returns of serve that require quick reaction times.

HEAD has produced a racket here that provides everything that a competitive club level player could want. The massively cheap price tag is a great bonus and provides added incentive to invest, especially if this is going to be your first racket.

Head Ti. 5

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Rounding out our list of 9 HEAD rackets, we’re heading back to the Ti range and yet another design that is well suited to beginners.

This Ti racket is very similar to the Ti. 6 we’ve reviewed already but there are a few slight differences that we’ll touch on.

We’ll start with the obvious thing that remains the same though and that’s the frame shape. That unique teardrop shape makes a return and offers much the same benefits. That enlarged sweet spot is brilliant for beginners looking for a relaxing first hitting experience.

Made of titanium, this racket offers the same durability that the S6 model advertises as well. The security of swinging this racket comes with that sense of solidness offered by the frame and beginners will easily be able to pick this up and play without worry.

This model is slightly lighter than the S6, stepping on the scales at 241 grams. The lightweight nature of the S5 is offset by that thick beam and you need not worry about a lack of feel on the ball as you strike through it. The base stability of the head size is there to help you.

Generally speaking, this racket is yet another fabulous head light creation from HEAD for players looking to take up tennis as a sport and play relatively consistently. The Ti range is simply a fantastic creation that more manufacturers should look to emulate when creating rackets for beginners.

How to Choose the Best Head Tennis Racket

Weight

This is entirely dependent on what you’re looking for from a tennis racket.

Ideally, you’ll be able to give rackets some test swings to see what works best for you personally before committing to a certain weight of the racket.

Heavier rackets tend to offer stability and power behind their swing but require you to be able to maneuver its frame into position around the court in order to be able to hit consistently.

Lighter rackets offer easy swing weight and maneuverability but might lack in other areas, such as pace. You’ll need to generate your power to then impart on the ball, otherwise you may find yourself dropping balls short a bit more often.

Try out a few different frames if you can. It can be a little bit hit and miss to start with… Pun absolutely intended!

Balance

Rackets are – generally speaking – either head light or head heavy.

Head heavy rackets hold most of their weight around the frame, allowing you to have more weight to swing with. This can result in easier power when hitting through the ball in baseline rallies and also gives you a more solid feel when up at the net.

Head light rackets place the weight directly in the palm of your hand! With the majority of the heaviness residing in the handle, you’ll be better placed to move the racket around easier and quicker, resulting in quicker reaction times when returning serve.

Ideally, test out both types to check what’s going to feel more natural for you.

Oh, and also! If tennis elbow is a concern for you, you’ll want to be looking at head heavy rackets predominantly!

Grip Size

Ah, the grip size! This has the ability to completely ruin a new racket experience if you get it wrong…

That’s why we’re here to make absolutely certain that you don’t!

How to Work Out Your Grip Size

There’s two methods that you can choose to find out your grip size, both of which will help you be able to work out if the racket you’re looking at is going to be the right one for you or not. We’ll run through them for you!

Method 1: If you’re able to hold the racket you’re interested in buying, this method will work for you.

Hold the racket in your dominant swing arm in a relaxed grip position, usually referred to as the Eastern forehand grip. Then, take your other hand’s index finger and place it between the ring finger and the palm of the hand that’s holding the racket.

If the finger doesn’t fit, the handle is too small and unfortunately, you’ll need to keep looking.

If the finger fits a bit too well, the handle is too large and unfortunately, you’ll STILL need to keep looking.

Method 2: If you’re looking to buy a racket online without holding it, this is the method you’ll be wanting to adopt. You’ll need a ruler or tape measurer though!

Laying your hand flat on a table, use your measuring device to find the distance between the tip of your ring finger and the bottom of your palm.

Grips are usually labeled to the nearest 1/8 so wherever your grip measurement lands on that scale will be the size you’re looking for.

Don’t give up looking though because that feeling when you find a racket that fits your hand perfectly is magic and you’ll remember it for life, we promise!

And remember, if worst comes to worst and you can’t get a handle that fits perfectly, get a slightly smaller grip size and build it up using overgrips!

Stiffness

The stiffness of a racket is entirely dependent on the flexibility of the frame.

More and more modern designs allow frames to bend and absorb power from heavy shots to help ease the arm stress of players. This does result in slightly less power however.

Stiffer frames help you power through shots more but might well result in a slightly more uncomfortable long-term hitting experience.

Keep that in mind when deciding what kind of frame to go for.

Head Size

If you are a beginner looking to pick up your first racket, you’ll be wanting to look for a slightly larger head size to enable to you relax into your shots more without worrying about hitting perfectly every single time.

Smaller head sizes are for more experienced players looking to dictate, place, and direct balls better in lengthier rally exchanges. These are usually far less forgiving of any incorrect timed swings.

Most rackets fall into three categories. Mid, Mid-plus or Oversized. Make sure to check which one you’re about to purchase to make sure it’s going to suit your game.

String Pattern

Rackets tend to have one of two string patterns.

The 16/19 string pattern allows you to impart more spin on the ball but as a result, will break more frequently.

The 18/20 string pattern allows for a bit more power and less control but will last longer as a result.

Again, we recommend testing both out to see what’s going to provide you with the best hitting experience going forward.

Who are HEAD?

Originally finding success as a manufacturer of skiing equipment, this Austrian company has its headquarters in Kennelbach and has been around since 1950.

It has steadily gained in worldwide prominence and now stands as one of the biggest sporting businesses in the world, providing some of the very best athletes with equipment!…

Speaking of which…

What do the Pro Players Use?

Novak Djokovic: The jewel in the crown of HEAD marketing campaigns, the men’s world number 1 has used their rackets for years after originally beginning his professional career with *whispers* Wilson!

Most of Novak’s successes have come with HEAD rackets and he currently uses a model that is no longer widely produced. However, the specs of it line up very closely to the Graphene and Speed lines, some of which we’ve touched on up the page!

Bianca Andreescu: The 2019 US Open champion has been in and out of action since her Grand Slam breakthrough a few years ago but she’s bound to bounce back soon on the court.

Andreescu’s racket is painted to look like a Graphene 360 Speed MP, although it more closely resembles the specs of the Graphene Touch MP. We’ve covered a few rackets from the Graphene line on our list today!

Final Thoughts

And scene! Cue the curtains falling…

Not quite yet though, we’ve still got an encore!

We hope you’ve enjoyed the journey you’ve taken through some of the best HEAD tennis rackets.

This company is a trusted manufacturer, one that you can rely on for quality, but you’ll still need to work out which of their products most accurately benefit you personally.

Trust us, finding a racket that suits you perfectly will make the journey to find it worthwhile.