About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the tennis racquet, which I tested for 5 days in October of 2022.

My take

The Head Speed Pro 100 is a racquet that does just about everything well. It’s an ideal racquet for advanced players looking for an easy-to-use mix of controllable power, stability, and excellent feel.

About the gear I tested

• Model: Head Speed Pro 100 2022
• Grip Size: 4 ⅜ / EU 3
• String and Tension: Head Lynx Tour 17G Mains/Head Velocity MLT 16g Crosses 52 lbs
• Head size: 100 sq. inches
• Racquet Length: 27 inches
• Any Customizations: Wilson Pro Overgrip

About me

• Height: 5’11”
• Weight: 185 lbs
• Previous Racquet Played With: Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP
• Experience: 28 years of playing tennis
• NTRP/UTA Rating: 5.0

Test conditions

• When I tested these: October 2022
• Days tested: 5 days
• Court Surfaces: Hard
• Match Play/Practice Session/Both: Both
• Where I’ve used it: Kingsford, MI

How it performs

What I was looking for

I’ve been playing with the Head Graphene 360+ Gravity MP for two seasons now and thoroughly enjoy it. The racquet offers a great feel, a wide spin window, and controllable power. It is a bit lighter than some of the other modern player's racquets on the market and, as a result, can get pushed around by big-hitting opponents. I’ve tried adding weight to help with the stability, but it lost some of the magic, and I’ve reverted back to stock specs. I have been testing racquets all summer, looking for another racquet that might fit my needs better.

Why I chose this gear

I am very familiar with the Head Speed lineup of racquets. My wife plays with the Graphene 360+ Speed MP, which was a close runner-up for me when I chose my Gravity MP. I’ve also tested the new version of that racquet, the Head Auxetic Speed MP 2022, which seemed to be a great update to that racquet with more feel than the previous version. Both of those versions lack a little bit of control that I get from the Gravity MP. I tested the previous generation of this racquet, the Graphene 360+ Speed Pro, earlier in the summer and liked the stability but craved a little easier access to spin and more maneuverability. With the new Auxetic construction for 2022, the Speed Pro was my favorite racquet I’ve tested all summer. It is more maneuverable than the previous generation with a slightly lower swing weight, has a crisper feel without being harsh, and seems easier to generate spin with. All of these improvements, while still maintaining high levels of control and solid stability, make it a dream to play with. I will revisit this racquet in the spring for a longer test to confirm, but I will likely switch to the 2022 Speed Pro for next season.

What I love about it

• Control: The combination of a tight 18x20 string pattern and a straight 23mm beam give the Speed Pro a lot of control. I was fully confident in going for targets on groundstrokes and serves while taking full swings knowing that the racquet would have my back.
• Stability: While the swing weight dropped from 329 to 326 RDC with this update, the Speed Pro continues to be a very stable racquet. I never felt like I struggled to handle the pace, and I could continue playing my aggressive game against my hardest-hitting opponents.
• Feel: The new Auxetic construction that Head has been adding to their racquets throughout 2022 has been my favorite technology in tennis for some time. It creates a more connected feel on impact but is never harsh. I noticed a big improvement in the feel compared to the previous version of this racquet. I felt like there was more pocketing of the ball on impact and that I could change direction on command because I knew exactly where the ball was on my strings.
• Ground Strokes: With the Graphene 360+ version, I felt like I had to hit a flatter ball than I typically like and that the sweet spot was a little small. I found ample spin with this version, even with the tight string pattern. This easier access to spin, combined with the great feel and pinpoint control, let me really swing out on my ground strokes, and I was hitting as well as I have in a long time.

Issues I’ve encountered

I had no issues with the Speed Pro at all. It did everything I wanted and suited my game really well.

Favorite moment with this gear

The Head Speed Pro 2022 was outstanding for hitting forehands during testing. With more plow-through and stability than my Gravity MP and great control, I could put the ball exactly where I wanted it with a heavy combination of speed and spin.

Value for the money vs. other options

The Speed Pro 2022 had a price increase from the previous version and is now priced a bit higher than similar racquets such as the Babolat Pure Strike 98 18x20, Dunlop SX300 Tour, and Wilson Blade 98 18x20. With other new releases this year seeing similar price increases, I would consider this to be a good value still.

Final verdict

The Head Speed Pro 100 2022 is a fantastic update to an already very popular racquet. It is a racquet for high-level players looking for modern speed and power with outstanding feel and control to take into matches confidently.