Head Graphene 360 Speed Pro Racquet Review

Groundstrokes - Score: 84

From the very first shot, our playtesters could see that the Graphene 360 Speed Pro was easier to use and more forgiving than its predecessor, the Graphene Touch Speed Pro. Chris explained, "The sweetspot felt bigger, and I got a higher launch angle out of the stringbed. Wider string spacing offered up better depth and lots of spin. I really liked how I could scoop up low balls and whip them over the net and inside the lines with pace and spin. I was pleased to find I could still knife my slice backhands just as well as I could with the denser stringbed of the previous version. The Graphene 360 Speed Pro also felt faster and snappier to swing. I found it easier to open up the court with angles and easier to take the ball early compared to the previous version."

"This playtest came at just the right time for me," began Michelle. "I was in Europe playtesting a bunch of racquets and only played with my own racquet a handful of times over there, plus I didn't get into the gym to work on strength training as much as I do when I'm home. With that said, I was happy to have a fast-swinging racquet in my hands rather than my heavier Wilson Pro Staff RF 97 Autograph. Also, over the past year I've really started to appreciate tighter 18x20 string patterns. This one felt pretty open, though. To be honest, if I didn't count, I wouldn't think this was an 18x20 pattern because it felt relatively powerful. The updated string spacing really gave me a consistent feel off the stringbed. I could swing fast and powerfully and get a predictable response while getting the ball to my deep targets easily. I had no complaints off the ground. This is the first time in a while that I really wanted to keep hitting with a Speed Pro outside of the playtest. I think this iteration suited my aggressive game well."

Troy also noticed a very speedy and maneuverable feel from this update. He described, "Taking the Graphene 360 Speed Pro back in preparation and whipping it through the contact zone felt very natural to me. Running forehands were also easy to execute with this racquet compared to some of the heavier player racquets I typically use. I could manipulate the Graphene 360 Speed Pro with a flick of the wrist, which allowed me to create sharp angles when hitting on the run. I noticed a slightly firmer, crisper feel compared to the previous versions. I was pleased to find that even with the livelier feel, the control wasn't completely thrown to the wayside. I could step into the court and take aggressive, semi-flat swings at the ball with good consistency. I did find some instability if I missed the sweetspot when I was playing against heavy hitters, but this wasn't a huge concern for me. I somewhat expected it because the swingweight is lower than my preferred spec. I generated ample topspin and slice considering it has an 18x20 string pattern."

Mark agreed that this updated Graphene 360 Speed Pro was very easy to swing effectively from the baseline. He found it to be one of the most seamless racquet transitions he's made. He said, "Within two hours of play I became consistent enough to successfully target the ball into smaller areas of the court with a predictable level of both spin and pace. Head affords a little extra cross string space in this racquet's stringbed compared to prior iterations, which allowed for easier access to topspin while still complementing my backhand slice. Lastly, it absorbed excessive pace well, making directional changes on the ball pretty easy for me."

Volleys - Score: 84

According to our playtesters, the addition of Graphene to strategic locations in the hoop seemed to boost the Graphene 360 Speed Pro's playability up at net. "I was surprised by how stable this racquet felt at net," Michelle said. "Coming from a heavier, more stable racquet, it's usually hard to compare, but I had zero issues with stability here. I could block volleys back easily. Plus, the racquet was very maneuverable. I could put balls away aggressively or use touch to carve out a shorter shot to get my opponent running forward. Swinging volleys were awesome as well, since the Graphene 360 Speed Pro swung fast and still had some built-in control."

Troy was pleased to find that the standout maneuverability he experienced with this racquet on groundstrokes carried over to volleys. He said, "I could manipulate this racquet with ease, which helped during fast volley exchanges. It worked well for me when I played doubles. The Graphene 360 Speed Pro is lighter and has a lower swingweight than the racquets I typically play with, but despite that, I found better-than-average stability on my volleys. I could block back heavy-hit groundstrokes deep in my opponent's court. As long as I could get the strings on the ball, my volleys were fairly effective and accurate. The firm, crisp feel provided point-and-shoot targeting. The ball was in and out of the stringbed quickly, and I could hit my targets consistently. The only downside was a jarring, firm response when I made contact outside of the sweetspot. I think this was due to the lower swingweight, so a bit of tungsten tape at 3 and 9 o'clock would probably help provide a slightly plusher feel."

Although he admitted to spending a lot more time at the baseline than the net, Mark still recognized the volley as an important shot for him. He said, "I probably notice the details of how a frame is put together best up at net. The combination of this racquet's overall weight, balance, swingweight, flex rating, string spacing, etc. helped make both my offensive and defensive volleys significantly more reliable and effective. I'd have to say that the volley was my favorite part of this playtest."

For Chris, the Graphene 360 Speed Pro felt crisp at net and provided easy access to depth. He said, "Again, the Graphene 360 Speed Pro was very fast and easy to maneuver. Stability was surprisingly good, and I had consistent success on low pick-up volleys. I also found enough mass to punch high volleys away. When it came to touch, I felt more connected to my shots with this update compared to the previous version. I think Head still has some room for improvement in that area, but the Graphene 360 Speed Pro is a step in the right direction. The response felt firm without being harsh, and I had enough feedback to judge depth and placement."

Serves - Score: 83

Across the board, our team noted how easy it was to generate racquet head speed with the Graphene 360 Speed Pro on serves. Troy said, "I found easy power on flat first serves. Not quite the power I can generate with the Babolat Pure Drive Tour Plus or Yonex VCORE SV 98+, but easier power than my racquet of choice, the Yonex VCORE Pro 97 (330). Compared to other 18x20 pattern racquets, the Graphene 360 Speed Pro allowed me to generate plenty of spin on slice and kick serves. I tend to rely mostly on my heavy kick and slice serves, and this racquet made it very easy for me to do so. Control was good considering the 100 square-inch headsize, but it was not quite as precise as my VCORE Pro 97."

"As with just about all of my shots during this playtest, I had an easy time transitioning to serving with this racquet," said Mark. "After only a few serves, the Graphene 360 Speed Pro just felt natural in my hands. The overall weight made it easy to develop pace on my serve, and the slight change Head made to the stringbed helped me feel very connected and allowed me to impart spin on the ball."

Chris' opening slice was his favorite serve to hit with the Graphene 360 Speed Pro. He explained, "I was able to get some good action on the shot and my placement was dialed in. I didn't get quite the zip on my first serves that I enjoy with my Technifibre TFlash 300 PS, but I felt my level of pace was decent. I was able to get enough spin on my second serves to let me stay on the gas and still hit with pace."

With the 18x20 string pattern, Michelle focused a bit more on location than power with her serves. She said, "I felt I could come through the ball easily, and if my mechanics were set in place I could get the speed ramped up on big first serves. Targeting was easy, and I felt in command when I was serving with this racquet — even on second serves."

Returns - Score: 80

On returns, our team continued to take advantage of the Graphene 360 Speed Pro's fast feel and good control. Similar to how he felt when hitting groundstrokes, Mark found this racquet to absorb pace very well on returns. "That made it easy to change the direction of the ball from the baseline, and that storyline definitely carried over to my serve return."

Chris also found success with his returns. He noted, "I liked the Graphene 360 Speed Pro a lot on returns. The fast feel, easy access to depth and spin-friendly response all came together to make this a fun racquet to hit back with. I felt confident going for angles, driving the ball deep or taking a rip up the line."

"This is usually either where I fall in love with a racquet or where I start having issues," started Michelle. "I'm always looking for something that allows me to hit out without overhitting, which is not as easy as it sounds! The ability to swing quickly paired perfectly with the racquet's stability and control, which was a winning combo for my attacking returns. Also, the updated string spacing allowed me to hit effective dippers and angles off my returns, and I didn't feel like I had any restrictions in terms of creativity with my return game. Lastly, the stability of the Graphene 360 Speed Pro played perfectly when I needed to access my defensive game."

Troy found it easy to be aggressive on returns. He said, "I was able to step in and take big swings on my returns without spraying the ball long too often. I could judge the depth of my returns well and I found my returns consistently landing deep in my opponent's side of the court. With the lighter weight of this racquet, I did occasionally crave a bit more plow through. Don't get me wrong, the fast feel of the Graphene 360 Speed Pro was a benefit from all areas of the court, but against bigger servers there were a few times when I found some instability and racquet fluttering. As long as I timed my returns well and hit the ball in the sweetspot, this racquet felt great. If I made contact outside the sweetspot the Graphene 360 Speed Pro could be a bit jarring. I wanted just a bit more mass in the hoop when chipping my backhand slice returns. I could carve out slice returns with a lot of spin, but a heavier racquet head would have helped with stability."

Overall - Score: 84