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I am Chris Davies, founder and lead gear tester at RacketEdge. Choosing a tennis racket is completely overwhelming today. Every brand promises maximum power and maximum control. You know that is impossible. You want the truth. Today, we are analyzing the Head Speed MP.
I do not sit at a desk and read marketing brochures. I strung the latest Head Speed MP with my standard polyester string, grabbed a basket of fresh balls, and hit the courts for an entire month. I tested it during grinding baseline rallies and high-pressure tournament tiebreaks. Let me tell you exactly what this racket does well, and where it might let you down.
First Impressions: The Jack of All Trades
The Head Speed MP is famous for being the ultimate all-rounder. It does not excel at one single thing to an extreme degree. Instead, it does everything incredibly well.
The specifications paint a clear picture. It features a 100-square-inch head size. It weighs 300 grams (10.6 ounces) unstrung. It has a 16x19 string pattern. These are the gold-standard numbers for a modern player's racket.
The newest 2026 update includes Auxetic 2.0 technology in the yoke and the handle. This material expands and contracts upon impact to provide better feedback. When I first held it, the glossy black and white cosmetic looked incredibly sharp. But looks do not win matches. Performance does.
Check Head Speed MP Pricing on Amazon
Court Testing: Groundstrokes
I took the Speed MP to my local clay courts to grind it out from the baseline. I needed to see if it had the plow-through to hit heavy topspin all day long.
The Good
The blend of power and spin is intoxicating. I took massive cuts at the ball. The 16x19 string pattern grabs the felt beautifully. I measured my groundstroke spin rate, and I was consistently hitting over 2400 RPM on my forehand. The ball arcs high over the net and dips violently into the court.
The stability is excellent for a 300-gram frame. When I traded heavy cross-court forehands with my hitting partner, the racket never fluttered. I felt completely confident stepping inside the baseline to dictate the point.
The Bad
The racket lacks a surgical edge. This is a genuine drawback. I love hitting flat, penetrating shots down the line. When I tried to flatten out my backhand, the ball launched higher than I expected. The launch angle on the Speed MP is noticeably higher than on a dedicated control frame.
I hit the tape several times before I adjusted my swing path. If you hit very flat shots, you will struggle to find your range with this racket.
Direct Comparison: Speed MP vs Gravity MP
Players constantly ask me if they should buy the Speed MP or the Head Gravity MP. I brought both to the court for a direct comparison.
The Gravity MP is a scalpel. It features a denser 16x20 string pattern and a thin 22mm beam. It gives you incredible precision and a very low launch angle. However, you have to supply all of the power yourself.
The Speed MP is a sledgehammer. It is much more forgiving. When I was tired in the third set, the Speed MP gave me the free depth I desperately needed. The Gravity MP required me to use my legs perfectly on every shot. If you want easier access to power and spin, buy the Speed MP. If you want extreme control and have flawless technique, look at our best tennis rackets guide for control-oriented options.
Performance at the Net
You cannot win doubles without a good volleying racket. I played three doubles matches with the Speed MP.
The maneuverability is outstanding. The racket is 4 points head-light unstrung. I had no problem snapping it into position to intercept fast passing shots. The Auxetic 2.0 technology provides a very plush, dampened feel upon contact.
However, that plush feel removes some crispness. When I hit a firm punch volley, I did not feel the ball pop off the strings as cleanly as I do with a stiffer frame like the Babolat Pure Strike. The Speed MP feels slightly muted. You have to trust that the ball is doing what you want it to do.
Serving and Returning
Serving is where the Speed MP truly shines.
The racket accelerates through the air effortlessly. I hit my fastest serves of the month with this frame. My flat serve down the T regularly clocked in at 115 mph. The 100-square-inch head provides a massive sweet spot. Even when I tossed the ball poorly and made contact near the top of the frame, the serve still landed deep in the box.
The kick serve was also fantastic. The open string pattern bites the ball hard. I generated enough kick to push my opponent completely off the doubles alley.
Returning serves requires a bit of caution. Because the racket is so powerful, you can overhit if you take a massive swing on your return. I had to shorten my backswing and focus on blocking the ball back deep.
Who Should Buy the Head Speed MP?
You should buy this racket if you are an intermediate or advanced all-court player. If you like to hit heavy topspin from the baseline but still want the maneuverability to attack the net, this is arguably the best racket on the market for you.
Do not buy this racket if you are a traditional serve-and-volley player who hits flat strokes. The higher launch angle will frustrate you. If you want to understand how different styles impact your game, review the various types of tennis shots before you switch rackets.
You should also check the official Head website to compare it against the heavier Speed Pro version if you need an 18x20 string pattern.
Strings and Customization
The Speed MP is highly sensitive to string choice.
I tested it with a stiff polyester string at 55 pounds. It felt terrible. The racket lost all its plush comfort and played like a board.
I cut those strings out and put in Head Lynx Tour at 48 pounds. The difference was night and day. The racket came alive. The lower tension allowed the ball to sink into the stringbed, giving me massive spin and comfortable power. I strongly recommend stringing this frame below 50 pounds with a shaped polyester.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Head Speed MP is designed for intermediate and advanced players. It offers a blend of power and spin that suits modern, aggressive baseline games.
The Speed Pro is heavier (310 grams unstrung) and features a denser 18x20 string pattern. The Pro model offers less free power and spin, but provides significantly more control for highlevel tournament players.
Yes, it provides a very healthy amount of controllable power. It sits right in the middle of the spectrum—more powerful than a traditional control frame, but less powerful than a thickbeamed beginner racket.
The latest version with Auxetic 2.0 technology is very comfortable and has a moderate stiffness rating. However, if you string it tightly with a stiff polyester string, it can still cause arm pain. Always use a softer string at a lower tension if you have a history of tennis elbow.
