Andy Murray's Head MG

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
So...anyone of you played with a PT57 made for top ATP players? Which would be the closest stick from Tennis Warehouse? The prestige Pro?

I wander if Murray, after he switched to Youtek Radical Pro, is still using a PT57 stick, because his Youtek really has another form than the PT57.

It's 100sq inches, not 98, and it's 16x19.

2day I watched Andy Murray's match with Del Potro, but I forgot to look if he has cap grommets like Microgel Prestige Pro has, pr his racquet is without grommets, like the stock Youtek Radical Pro...maybe somebody allready knows this

Nothing has changed except the paint.
Murray_2009_canada_1.jpg
 

PED

Legend
I play with the Rad Pro and the head shape is not similar to Murray's stick.

Also, Murray's "Youtek" does have cap grommets just like his "Microgel" did :)
 

star 5 15

Professional
So...anyone of you played with a PT57 made for top ATP players? Which would be the closest stick from Tennis Warehouse? The prestige Pro?

I wander if Murray, after he switched to Youtek Radical Pro, is still using a PT57 stick, because his Youtek really has another form than the PT57.

It's 100sq inches, not 98, and it's 16x19.

2day I watched Andy Murray's match with Del Potro, but I forgot to look if he has cap grommets like Microgel Prestige Pro has, pr his racquet is without grommets, like the stock Youtek Radical Pro...maybe somebody allready knows this

There is really nothing that you can buy from TW that is really similar in feel. you cna obviously get the retail versions of the frames from TW.

Not to contradict what PED said because he was very close IMO but I think that it is this.
PT57A=Pro Tour 630
PT57E=i.Prestige MP
PT10=prestige classic 600
PT161=liquidmetal instinct
TGK frames= pro stock version of retail racquet made lighter for easier customization and better materials used when being made.

Just my 2cents

PS for anyone whos curious I took off the pallet on a lm instinct the otehr day and found the pt161 code on the hairpin.
 

BLX

Rookie
Well you never know what's in the mail, this week it was Mr.Murray's personal Head MG :), it is used in the clay season strung with Alu and VS gut. Strange thing is the racket is not that heavy, at least don't feel so heavy.
There is a lot of lead under the caps though. More to follow...

Are you sure. It doesn't look the combo from these pics.


610x.jpg


650x.jpg
 

PED

Legend
I would say Ericcson is sure. Are you talking about the stick or the string combo.

He's used that hybrid forever. It looks like alu mains and gut crosses to me.
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
Murray's definitely using ALU in the mains, gut in the crosses. Even says so in the interview with P1's Nate Ferguson (customizes Andy's sticks).

Isn't Karakal a squash company?
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
Hey Ericsson, along with the specs, can you also take a pic of his base grip (sans overgrip)? Thanks
Want to see what the Karakal grip looks like. Anyone try it before?

Wow. 33.2 cm = 13.07 inches or just less than 4 pts. HL
3.44 points, if my math is correct. Alot more evenly balance that I would have thought
 

ericsson

Hall of Fame
[d]ragon;4140473 said:
Hey Ericsson, along with the specs, can you also take a pic of his base grip (sans overgrip)? Thanks
Want to see what the Karakal grip looks like. Anyone try it before?

Wow. 33.2 cm = 13.07 inches or just less than 4 pts. HL
3.44 points, if my math is correct. Alot more evenly balance that I would have thought

Dragon, i did once but i'm gonna leave it like that now, the tourna grip is gripped really tight so i want to keep it original. It's just a black Karakal PU S grip, nothing special, the grips are very good, tacky, densed and durable.
I've got Henman's racket too and he played with a bare Karakal PU grip without overgrip.

n186m0.jpg
 

ericsson

Hall of Fame
[d]ragon;4140502 said:
Ok thanks anyways. Sweet looking stick. Have you had a chance to hit with it?

Yes but only a few balls, it's strung very hard (62), very stable racket, i will do a comparison together with the Austrian Pro tour, it's the exact same mold, i will do some more diggin when i found the time but i don't really wanne play with it much cos i wanne keep it original.
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
Ok. From what I've read, Murray's SW is in the 340s correct?
So other than the string pattern, the closest thing you could get to his stick (in terms of specs) would be a YT Radical MP with:
CAPs- 15 grams
a 3/8ths handle with a 1/2 size heat shrink (he plays with something between 3/8 and 1/2)- 8 grams
Karakal Super PU grip
Tournagrip- 6 grams

The result would be: 341 grams, 343 swingweight, 13.08 inch balance (using TW customization tool and specs)
This does not include the ALU mains/gut crosses which could alter the weight and balance abit
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
Yes but only a few balls, it's strung very hard (62), very stable racket, i will do a comparison together with the Austrian Pro tour, it's the exact same mold, i will do some more diggin when i found the time but i don't really wanne play with it much cos i wanne keep it original.

Perfectly understandable.

You are one lucky guy!
 

kevo82

Rookie
[d]ragon;4140547 said:
Ok. From what I've read, Murray's SW is in the 340s correct?
So other than the string pattern, the closest thing you could get to his stick (in terms of specs) would be a YT Radical MP with:
CAPs- 15 grams
a 3/8ths handle with a 1/2 size heat shrink (he plays with something between 3/8 and 1/2)- 8 grams
Karakal Super PU grip
Tournagrip- 6 grams

The result would be: 341 grams, 343 swingweight, 13.08 inch balance (using TW customization tool and specs)
This does not include the ALU mains/gut crosses which could alter the weight and balance abit

It would be close only regarding the specs...but Youtek Radical MP has another beam width 21.5, not 21 like Murray's racquet has, and is rounded...
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
Yeah but I chose it because that's what Murray's looks like. The .5 mm doesn't mean much but the rounded beam does pose abit of a problem. Unfortunately we won't be able to get super close
 

ericsson

Hall of Fame
[d]ragon;4140547 said:
Ok. From what I've read, Murray's SW is in the 340s correct?
So other than the string pattern, the closest thing you could get to his stick (in terms of specs) would be a YT Radical MP with:
CAPs- 15 grams
a 3/8ths handle with a 1/2 size heat shrink (he plays with something between 3/8 and 1/2)- 8 grams
Karakal Super PU grip
Tournagrip- 6 grams

The result would be: 341 grams, 343 swingweight, 13.08 inch balance (using TW customization tool and specs)
This does not include the ALU mains/gut crosses which could alter the weight and balance abit

His SW is high yes but not unplayable, hard to estimate the SW just to hold it but i will get it to a RDC in the future.
Racket strung is 345 grams and 33.2 balance with overgrip.
It is NOTHING like a YT radical mp nor a prestige pro (i tested both), i'm quite certain it's a pro tour mould (PT57) but 16x19 pattern. From what i feel it's probably a little stiffer then a regular PT.
Hope this helps...
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
The only other option I can think of is:
MG Prestige Pro
-no base grip
Tournagrip
4.1g at 1.2 inches from buttcap
7.9g at at the 12 o'clock (27 inches from buttcap)

Weight = 343 gms
Balance = 13.07 in
Swingweight = 343 kg·cm²
 

[d]ragon

Hall of Fame
His SW is high yes but not unplayable, hard to estimate the SW just to hold it but i will get it to a RDC in the future.
Racket strung is 345 grams and 33.2 balance with overgrip.
It is NOTHING like a YT radical mp nor a prestige pro (i tested both), i'm quite certain it's a pro tour mould (PT57) but 16x19 pattern. From what i feel it's probably a little stiffer then a regular PT.
Hope this helps...

Can't wait. No rush though. Naturally it would play nothing like those two. I'm just trying to figure out what one could do to make an off-the-shelf stick close as possible. I suppose I can't really proceed until I have the SW
Yes, I have a slight obsession with Murray's "Radical"
No, I'm not going to try to make one so I can play with it and fee like Murray :)
 

kevo82

Rookie
[d]ragon;4140615 said:
Can't wait. No rush though. Naturally it would play nothing like those two. I'm just trying to figure out what one could do to make an off-the-shelf stick close as possible. I suppose I can't really proceed until I have the SW
Yes, I have a slight obsession with Murray's "Radical"
No, I'm not going to try to make one so I can play with it and fee like Murray :)

Man...actually the only thing I like about his racquet is the color :)

Besides that, I would't play with a stick only because somebody else is playing with it.

I played with a prestige when I was a junior and I hated...very heavy and low power with a flexy feeling...I hated

So...let's say Murray has exactly the same racquet but with another PJ...do you think that I could play with it? No way

I would like to test HEAD because I want to switch to new racquets. And the options would be Prince Ozone Tour OR something like Head Microgel Prestige IF it's different than I used to know about Prestige

If it would be in the same color like Murray's, even better

I haven't played with a Head since a long time ago and I want to give it a try...I admit that I really like the shape of the beam and the racquet
 

kevo82

Rookie
Juan Carlos Ferrero also played with a HEAD two years ago, and it was in the same color like Murray's racquet.

I think it was a Prestige flexpoint but with a wider rounded beam

I don't like rounded beams
 

Arvid

Semi-Pro
Heres my guess. Before Murray started using the open string pattern he was rumoured to be using a trisys radical also called bumblebee. I suppose he was quite happy with that racket since he used it for many years. However he had some time off due to injury and it was after that that he came back with a racket with an open stringpattern. I can imagine Murray had some time to experiment and therefore asked head to make him a racket with an open string pattern. So my guess: Murrays racket=Head radical trisys with custom open tring pattern. What do you think ericsson could this be?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
Juan Carlos Ferrero also played with a HEAD two years ago, and it was in the same color like Murray's racquet.

I think it was a Prestige flexpoint but with a wider rounded beam

I don't like rounded beams

It was a Flexpoint Radical Tour 18x19
Juan_Carlos_Ferrero_Halle_2005.jpg
 

jimbo333

Hall of Fame
Heres my guess. Before Murray started using the open string pattern he was rumoured to be using a trisys radical also called bumblebee. I suppose he was quite happy with that racket since he used it for many years. However he had some time off due to injury and it was after that that he came back with a racket with an open stringpattern. I can imagine Murray had some time to experiment and therefore asked head to make him a racket with an open string pattern. So my guess: Murrays racket=Head radical trisys with custom open tring pattern. What do you think ericsson could this be?

If by Trysis Radical, you mean the Radical Tour 630 then this is a good point. Murray was a big Agassi fan when he was young, which you can see also in the way he plays (at least partly). The current racquet he uses, which according to Erisson (and he would know:)) is the Pro Tour 630 mold which is exactly the same mold as the Radical Tour 630 mold from 90's only with different lay-up!

So he is could well be using a custom layup with 16x19 pattern of the Pro Tour 630 (Radical Tour 630) mold!
 

chancep2120

Rookie
Man...actually the only thing I like about his racquet is the color :)

Besides that, I would't play with a stick only because somebody else is playing with it.

I played with a prestige when I was a junior and I hated...very heavy and low power with a flexy feeling...I hated

So...let's say Murray has exactly the same racquet but with another PJ...do you think that I could play with it? No way

I would like to test HEAD because I want to switch to new racquets. And the options would be Prince Ozone Tour OR something like Head Microgel Prestige IF it's different than I used to know about Prestige

If it would be in the same color like Murray's, even better

I haven't played with a Head since a long time ago and I want to give it a try...I admit that I really like the shape of the beam and the racquet

are you talking about hating the prestige classic 600?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
it wasn't prestige classic 600... it was a prestige tour 630 made in austria with normal grommets...at least this is what I remember

There was not a Prestige Tour 630. Do you mean Prestige Tour 600, Prestige Tour 660, or Pro Tour 630? Was the racquet red or was it blue and black?
 

kevo82

Rookie
There was not a Prestige Tour 630. Do you mean Prestige Tour 600, Prestige Tour 660, or Pro Tour 630? Was the racquet red or was it blue and black?

was red, but not the one with a small head and cap grommets...maybe it was 660 prestige tour...it had the transparent bottom with anti vibration system

it felt very flexible and heavy
 

kevo82

Rookie
I have one more question...IF i get the Radical Pro, it is possible to change the cap grommets, and put those that Prestige Pro has?

Or they are different, and the cap grommets wouldn't fit?
 

PED

Legend
I have one more question...IF i get the Radical Pro, it is possible to change the cap grommets, and put those that Prestige Pro has?

Or they are different, and the cap grommets wouldn't fit?

I think they can be adapted to fit, but on the Radical Pro I would not recommend it.

The balance is already 33.75cm strung and the SW is 345g. The extra weight of the caps would really skew the balance toward the hoop. Just my 2 cents. I have the Rad Pro and love it.
 

kevo82

Rookie
Sorry...i ment Microgel Radical Mid plus...do you think I could make them adapt to fit? or not?

Basically they have the same shape and holes (Microgel radical mid+ and Microgel Prestige Pro)

So?
 

kevo82

Rookie
Sorry...i ment Microgel Radical Mid plus...do you think I could make them adapt to fit? or not?

Basically they have the same shape and holes (Microgel radical mid+ and Microgel Prestige Pro)

So?

Actually that would be the Microgel radical mid+ and Microgel Prestige, not Microgel prestige PRO (which is 19x16)
 

NikeUp

Rookie
In reply to murray's racket. He uses a Prestige Pro painted badly as a Radical. But he doesnt have the paint glossed like off the shelf rackets because it makes it a little too stiff for him. He was experimenting with different weights before the french open. He had lead at 6 and 9 o'clock on his racket which is quite unsusual. Before the french i strung his bats at 54lbs mains and crosses. Alu power mains, Vs Touch crosses. He asked for his gut to not be pre-stretched which was also quite odd. In the off time after wmbledon he had a small wrist injury and so was told to take more weight off his bats, hence why mr Erricsons racket is so light.
 

kevo82

Rookie
In reply to murray's racket. He uses a Prestige Pro painted badly as a Radical. But he doesnt have the paint glossed like off the shelf rackets because it makes it a little too stiff for him. He was experimenting with different weights before the french open. He had lead at 6 and 9 o'clock on his racket which is quite unsusual. Before the french i strung his bats at 54lbs mains and crosses. Alu power mains, Vs Touch crosses. He asked for his gut to not be pre-stretched which was also quite odd. In the off time after wmbledon he had a small wrist injury and so was told to take more weight off his bats, hence why mr Erricsons racket is so light.

How do you know 4 sure it's a Prestige Pro and not a paint job of an older Prestige? a Prestige Pro from the shelf weights 343g. How did he added lead at 6 and 9 o'clock over the 343g that a stock Prestige Pro weights?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
How do you know 4 sure it's a Prestige Pro and not a paint job of an older Prestige? a Prestige Pro from the shelf weights 343g. How did he added lead at 6 and 9 o'clock over the 343g that a stock Prestige Pro weights?

Murray's racquet are not off the shelf. The Pro room racquets are manufactured significantly lighter (about 255g) for the Players on Tour so they can have the racquets customized to the desired specs.
 
Last edited:

kevo82

Rookie
Murray's racquet are not off the shelf. The Pro room racquets are manufactured significantly lighter (about 255g) for the Players on Tour so they can have the racquets customized to the desired specs.

yeah I knew that...but NikeUp said it was a Prestige Pro...it looked like a Prestige Pro.

I don't even think it is a lighter Prestige Pro. it is a PT57E or a TGK 238.1 with a paint job of Prestige Pro
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
yeah I knew that...but NikeUp said it was a Prestige Pro...it looked like a Prestige Pro.

I don't even think it is a lighter Prestige Pro. it is a PT57E or a TGK 238.1 with a paint job of Prestige Pro

It is a PT57A with a 16x19 string pattern.

P.S. TGK238.2=MG Prestige Pro
 

kevo82

Rookie
ups...yeah...you're right TGK238.2 is a Pro stock Prestige MP

do you know if there is a HUGE difference between PT57A and TGK238.2?

i mean the feeling is quite the same? or it's a completely different feeling?
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
ups...yeah...you're right TGK238.2 is a Pro stock Prestige MP

do you know if there is a HUGE difference between PT57A and TGK238.2?

i mean the feeling is quite the same? or it's a completely different feeling?

TGK238.1=MG Prestige MP
TGK238.2=MG Prestige Pro

Yes I think there is a difference in feel between PT57A and TGK238's..........
 

NikeUp

Rookie
How do you know 4 sure it's a Prestige Pro and not a paint job of an older Prestige? a Prestige Pro from the shelf weights 343g. How did he added lead at 6 and 9 o'clock over the 343g that a stock Prestige Pro weights?

I asked him. He demoed an off the shelf prestige pro and really liked it. It has to painted like a Radical for marketing so head produced some for him. His rackets wieghed between 352 and 369grams when he was experimenting with balances and weights. He is not someone who is very fussy with what he plays with.
 

vsbabolat

G.O.A.T.
I have always thought that Murray is a client of P1.
Murray_Racquets_2.jpg

Murray_Racquets_3.jpg

Murray_MG_Radical_PJ_2.jpg


If Murray is not picky. I wonder why he insisted on having the i.Radical MP Cosmetics on his PT57A's for all those years.
 

kevo82

Rookie
I have always thought that Murray is a client of P1.
Murray_Racquets_2.jpg

Murray_Racquets_3.jpg

Murray_MG_Radical_PJ_2.jpg


If Murray is not picky. I wonder why he insisted on having the i.Radical MP Cosmetics on his PT57A's for all those years.

thanks 4 the info...so after all, right now he plays with Prestige Pro with paint job of an Youtek? Or the Prestige Pro was just a test and he is back to PT57A with paint job of Youtek?
 
Top