Head Prestige 2023

oldmanyellingatcloud said:
that ship has sailed I think.

I'm curious too. I wonder how IG Prestige S and Extreme Tour are, but there are massive differences across the board in measurable qualities at least. I've unfortunately settled into my classic 95" 18x20 Radicals so haven't had a chance to try any Extreme in a while.
Click to expand...

I didn't like the Prestige S. I'm trying to sell it. I didn't find it maneuverable, even though it was lighter (305 grams without strings), and it wasn't headlight and it's still stiffer than MP. That's when I opted for the Youtek Prestige MP, and it even improved my game.
 
mattimag said:
I was finally able to hit with my 16x19 Pro!

A little background: I play at high level and I have been playing with various iterations of Prestige (including pt57a and other Pro stock frames) for about 20 years. The most recent Prestiges I used are the TGT 293.1 pro stock and the Graphene 360+ Prestige MP (retail).
In the last year I tested different frames including the Vcore 95, the Blade Pro 16x19 and 18x20 and lately the Gravity Pro 2023 (which I really liked and I have been using in the latest weeks and tournaments).
I am addicted to control oriented frames, I can't really play with other types of rackets

I tested this 16x19 in 2 training session. first time I used it with Luxilon Eco Rough (new string which I had never tried before), the second time with Head Hawk touch.


The cosmetics of the racket are really good even if I would have preferred the racket to me a bit more red and the red to be a little less dark.

When playing, I could immediately feel at home.
Trademark precision and control, from the baseline I was able to be very consistent and hit (and counter) really heavy balls without missing many.
The impact was solid, no vibrations.
I loved the low stiffness of the racket. Very similar to the Pt57a.

OHBH was great and I slightly preferred it compared to the Gravity Pro.
Same for serve (which is my main problem while using the Gravity Pro).
Volleys were good but not better then the Gravity Pro (which, I don't know why, I really LOVE at net)

I played two consecutive days with it and I didn't feel any sore with the shoulder (which is the reason I had to quit using heavier frames like the Pt57a I used when I was younger).

Overall I am very pleased with this racket and I will be using it in the next few days to test it more and probably switch to it.

EDIT
The specs of my Prestige Pro 16x19 (with Eco rough strings, no overgrip and no dampener) are:
-weight 331g
-balance 31.9
-swingweight 321
Click to expand...
Would you say the Pro 16x19 has better plowthrough than the Gravity Pro? I tried the Gravity Pro and i thought it didn't have enough plowthrough for me. Very nice feel YES, forgiving YES but something is missing from it for me.

I use Pro Tour 630 as my main stick.
 
hanjulian said:
Would you say the Pro 16x19 has better plowthrough than the Gravity Pro? I tried the Gravity Pro and i thought it didn't have enough plowthrough for me. Very nice feel YES, forgiving YES but something is missing from it for me.

I use Pro Tour 630 as my main stick.
Click to expand...

Gravity pro, no plow-through? I found the opposite, that thing sends the ball like a tank, granted the SW on my sticks was 335 strung.
 
veelium said:
The 16x19 feels more like an 16x18 imo, the crosses are more spaced out besides the weird top cross.
To compare, the top cross of the Prestige tour is on the same height as the 18th cross of the Prestige Pro.

As the mains are tight enough in the center, control is still decent imo with thicker strings it plays well.
Click to expand...

Man now I need to see a side by side comparison of the string pattern of the Tour 16/19 and Pro 16/19.
 
hanjulian said:
Would you say the Pro 16x19 has better plowthrough than the Gravity Pro? I tried the Gravity Pro and i thought it didn't have enough plowthrough for me. Very nice feel YES, forgiving YES but something is missing from it for me.

I use Pro Tour 630 as my main stick.
Click to expand...

What do you mean with plowthrough? How the rackets "cuts the air", maneuverability?
The Gravity has a 100" head size and it is slightly head heavier so yes, it is a little harder to swing.
 
mattimag said:
I was finally able to hit with my 16x19 Pro!

A little background: I play at high level and I have been playing with various iterations of Prestige (including pt57a and other Pro stock frames) for about 20 years. The most recent Prestiges I used are the TGT 293.1 pro stock and the Graphene 360+ Prestige MP (retail).
In the last year I tested different frames including the Vcore 95, the Blade Pro 16x19 and 18x20 and lately the Gravity Pro 2023 (which I really liked and I have been using in the latest weeks and tournaments).
I am addicted to control oriented frames, I can't really play with other types of rackets

I tested this 16x19 in 2 training session. first time I used it with Luxilon Eco Rough (new string which I had never tried before), the second time with Head Hawk touch.


The cosmetics of the racket are really good even if I would have preferred the racket to me a bit more red and the red to be a little less dark.

When playing, I could immediately feel at home.
Trademark precision and control, from the baseline I was able to be very consistent and hit (and counter) really heavy balls without missing many.
The impact was solid, no vibrations.
I loved the low stiffness of the racket. Very similar to the Pt57a.

OHBH was great and I slightly preferred it compared to the Gravity Pro.
Same for serve (which is my main problem while using the Gravity Pro).
Volleys were good but not better then the Gravity Pro (which, I don't know why, I really LOVE at net)

I played two consecutive days with it and I didn't feel any sore with the shoulder (which is the reason I had to quit using heavier frames like the Pt57a I used when I was younger).

Overall I am very pleased with this racket and I will be using it in the next few days to test it more and probably switch to it.

EDIT
The specs of my Prestige Pro 16x19 (with Eco rough strings, no overgrip and no dampener) are:
-weight 331g
-balance 31.9
-swingweight 321
Click to expand...
Thanks for the detailed feedback! Can you compare the 2.0 PP 16 x 19 with the 360+ Prestige MP - it terms of power, spin and comfort please?
 
lefty100 said:
Thanks for the detailed feedback! Can you compare the 2.0 PP 16 x 19 with the 360+ Prestige MP - it terms of power, spin and comfort please?
Click to expand...

Not easy because I have played with the 360+ Prestige MP for about 1 month and it was almost 2 years ago.
From baseline I would say they play very similar. I could hit the ball very hard but with confidence and without the fear of balls sailing long with both.
I struggled a bit with almost every other aspect of the game with that 360+ Mp because of the 18x20 and that's why I went back to a 16x19 scheme at the time.
So for serve, ohbh, volleys, backspin, I would say that there are not huge differences but this 16x19 Pro is a bit better

I wish I could compare it with the tgt 345.2 but unfortunately I didn't get the chance to play with that.
 
Last edited:
mattimag said:
What do you mean with plowthrough? How the rackets "cuts the air", maneuverability?
The Gravity has a 100" head size and it is slightly head heavier so yes, it is a little harder to swing.
Click to expand...
I apologize for the confusion. When i hit with thr PT630 i feel when you hit it in the sweetspot the ball just blasts off like a cannon. On the contrary i feel the PT630 has plenty of power to tap when you set up properly and just swing big. I hope that clarifies some confusion from my end.

Maybe the Gravity Pro that i tried was under spec, felt like it needed 2 grams at least on 12 o clock to feel good, at least for me l.

It is the only racquet in 18x20 that i like, i have always been a fan of 16x19 racquets. So when this 2023 Pro comes out in 16x19, it is like OH MY GOD i gotta get this racquet!!!

So you find it easier to swing the Prestige Pro 16x19 than the Gravity Pro.
Ok noted !
 
OslerWeber said:
Anyone playing with the prestige tour 2.0 that could give their thoughts?
Is it unforgiving? Small sweetspot?
Click to expand...
It's got plenty of sweetspot compared to the PC2.0/PT2.0. I saw it's larger than the CX200 Tour too.

I think any 4.0+ player could use this racket just fine.
The 4.5-5.0+ crowd is probably going to favor it more though
 
An update on the PP 2.0. I have clocked about 8 hrs on court. After 3 hrs I felt like I was struggling for power if I got pushed onto the back foot or was pushed wide and needed play a defensive slice. So I put 1g o f lead on at 3, 9 amd 12 and the racquet became even smoother (not always the case with lead in my experience), the launch angle improved and I got a noticeable boost in power . The racquet is playing beautifully now, producing balls with real weight on them and the touch and control has not been compromised. The last frontier is letting the racquet’s mass do the work on serve – when I do this its great. Overall, I am really enjoying the racquet – it is definitely more plush and comfortable than 1.0 PP from my point of view and it has a better launch angle and is more lively off the stringbed than the 360+ PMP which was a racquet I liked as well.
 
Hmmm so according to this review, the Pro 16x19 doesn't have enough weight on its head. Makes me pondering now...

And he seems to like the Tour the most.

I have been trying to find ways to get the Pro 16x19 to Singapore, but for now it is not so easy, all the websites i talked to, told me they will only ship Head racquets within EU!

I hope Head will release this racquets to other market soon. *Keeping my fingers crossed
 
hanjulian said:
Hmmm so according to this review, the Pro 16x19 doesn't have enough weight on its head. Makes me pondering now...

And he seems to like the Tour the most.

I have been trying to find ways to get the Pro 16x19 to Singapore, but for now it is not so easy, all the websites i talked to, told me they will only ship Head racquets within EU!

I hope Head will release this racquets to other market soon. *Keeping my fingers crossed
Click to expand...

As I said to other people, I can buy and send one at no extra cost if you are interested. I was in the same situation in the past,wanting a frame only available in the Us and someone in this forum was kind enough to do this for me so I would happily do this if you need.

I didn't try the Tour but I love my 16x19 Pro. Does the guy in the review mention the specs of the racket that he's trying?
 
mattimag said:
As I said to other people, I can buy and send one at no extra cost if you are interested. I was in the same situation in the past,wanting a frame only available in the Us and someone in this forum was kind enough to do this for me so I would happily do this if you need.

I didn't try the Tour but I love my 16x19 Pro. Does the guy in the review mention the specs of the racket that he's trying?
Click to expand...
He said he doesn't know the specs of the Pro 16x19 he tested. He was at disbelief at first, never knew that this version existed! He thinks Hesd is trying to compete with Blade as they have both 18x20 and 16x19 version.

He strung all the racquets he tested with Lynx Touch at 23 KGs.

I'm sure i will love the Pro 16x19 too, i have been waiting for a racquet in that specs.
 
Break To Win said:

I confess that I'm starting to like this paintjob, it looks more elegant than 1.0.

I look forward to an opportunity to test it. Although, I wanted to make the most of my 360+
Click to expand...

As a primary user of both the 1.0 and 2.0, I definitely prefer this paintjob more. The text on the side is a lot more subdued, and I actually like the purplish tinge to the color where the 1.0 was more on the redder side of burgundy.
 
mattimag said:
Not
Click to expand...

Soundbyte said:
It'
Click to expand...

Sorry just quoting because I wanted your input.
@mattimag @Soundbyte

I played with the Liquid Metal Prestige mid as a kid. I took 12 years off zero tennis then when I came back a few years ago I decided to go with more player friendly modern frames compared to the LMPrestige mid and Prince NXG mid that I used when I was a kid.
These are the rackets I've been using since 2019 when I came back to tennis. I've liked all of these. V8 Blade 16/19, Regna 98 (a little too much feel on this one, I like more muted), v13 PS, and I used the Prestige Graphene Touch mid too. They got rid of this model which made me sad but I've been trying to move up in frame size anyways so w.e. I think that racket was a 93sqin??
I currently play with the newest Vcore 95 and love it but I've been itching to have a Prestige again in my kit since I'll just be keeping my graphene touch mids just for the memory.

I've started to steer towards more muted rackets and lower than ~333sw. 330sw is kind of pushing it I dont want to use the heavy anchors like I did as a kid. The Vcore 95 is the first racket I didnt need to add weight to, it felt great without any mods.
Do any of the new Prestige models fit what I want? I cant tell which one I'd like between the Pro, Tour, and Pro 16/19 (did not know this existed until I went through this forum thread).
Is the newest Prestige model muted or do you feel everything? I tried one of the recent Radicals and it felt terrible to me. Nothing like the old radicals when I was a kid and I dont ever want a stiff hollow racket like one of the recent radicals I used.
Is the swingweight too heavy when strung and with a dampener and overgrip?

I'm really eyeing the Pro 16/19 and the Tour but the Tour's SW looks like something I'm trying to avoid...
 
meowmix808 said:
Sorry just quoting because I wanted your input.
@mattimag @Soundbyte

I played with the Liquid Metal Prestige mid as a kid. I took 12 years off zero tennis then when I came back a few years ago I decided to go with more player friendly modern frames compared to the LMPrestige mid and Prince NXG mid that I used when I was a kid.
These are the rackets I've been using since 2019 when I came back to tennis. I've liked all of these. V8 Blade 16/19, Regna 98 (a little too much feel on this one, I like more muted), v13 PS, and I used the Prestige Graphene Touch mid too. They got rid of this model which made me sad but I've been trying to move up in frame size anyways so w.e. I think that racket was a 93sqin??
I currently play with the newest Vcore 95 and love it but I've been itching to have a Prestige again in my kit since I'll just be keeping my graphene touch mids just for the memory.

I've started to steer towards more muted rackets and lower than ~333sw. 330sw is kind of pushing it I dont want to use the heavy anchors like I did as a kid. The Vcore 95 is the first racket I didnt need to add weight to, it felt great without any mods.
Do any of the new Prestige models fit what I want? I cant tell which one I'd like between the Pro, Tour, and Pro 16/19 (did not know this existed until I went through this forum thread).
Is the newest Prestige model muted or do you feel everything? I tried one of the recent Radicals and it felt terrible to me. Nothing like the old radicals when I was a kid and I dont ever want a stiff hollow racket like one of the recent radicals I used.
Is the swingweight too heavy when strung and with a dampener and overgrip?

I'm really eyeing the Pro 16/19 and the Tour but the Tour's SW looks like something I'm trying to avoid...
Click to expand...

To be honest I was never really able to understand this "muted" question .
What I can say is my Pro 16x19 has a great feeling, like old Prestiges and like the Pt57a which I used for many years.
My racket with strings and dampener and overgrip has a 325 swingweight.

I decided to buy a couple of TGT 345.2 which form what I understand should be quite similar to my 2023 Pro 16x19
 
meowmix808 said:
Sorry just quoting because I wanted your input.
@mattimag @Soundbyte

I played with the Liquid Metal Prestige mid as a kid. I took 12 years off zero tennis then when I came back a few years ago I decided to go with more player friendly modern frames compared to the LMPrestige mid and Prince NXG mid that I used when I was a kid.
These are the rackets I've been using since 2019 when I came back to tennis. I've liked all of these. V8 Blade 16/19, Regna 98 (a little too much feel on this one, I like more muted), v13 PS, and I used the Prestige Graphene Touch mid too. They got rid of this model which made me sad but I've been trying to move up in frame size anyways so w.e. I think that racket was a 93sqin??
I currently play with the newest Vcore 95 and love it but I've been itching to have a Prestige again in my kit since I'll just be keeping my graphene touch mids just for the memory.

I've started to steer towards more muted rackets and lower than ~333sw. 330sw is kind of pushing it I dont want to use the heavy anchors like I did as a kid. The Vcore 95 is the first racket I didnt need to add weight to, it felt great without any mods.
Do any of the new Prestige models fit what I want? I cant tell which one I'd like between the Pro, Tour, and Pro 16/19 (did not know this existed until I went through this forum thread).
Is the newest Prestige model muted or do you feel everything? I tried one of the recent Radicals and it felt terrible to me. Nothing like the old radicals when I was a kid and I dont ever want a stiff hollow racket like one of the recent radicals I used.
Is the swingweight too heavy when strung and with a dampener and overgrip?

I'm really eyeing the Pro 16/19 and the Tour but the Tour's SW looks like something I'm trying to avoid...
Click to expand...
Pro (16x19) should be good, the opposite of stiff and hollow. Skip the Tour, it's more in the radical direction (bit stiffer, direct).

If you like it a bit more muted, you'll love the Gravity line.
 
Coming from Blade Pro 18 (and EZ Tour/RF97) and looking for a more serve-volley racket + easier time when tired, which one of this Prestige lineup you guys recommend? I am very interested in MP vs MP-L. Tennisnerd said that MP-L is a better “Prestige” than MP.
 
meowmix808 said:
Sorry just quoting because I wanted your input.
@mattimag @Soundbyte

I played with the Liquid Metal Prestige mid as a kid. I took 12 years off zero tennis then when I came back a few years ago I decided to go with more player friendly modern frames compared to the LMPrestige mid and Prince NXG mid that I used when I was a kid.
These are the rackets I've been using since 2019 when I came back to tennis. I've liked all of these. V8 Blade 16/19, Regna 98 (a little too much feel on this one, I like more muted), v13 PS, and I used the Prestige Graphene Touch mid too. They got rid of this model which made me sad but I've been trying to move up in frame size anyways so w.e. I think that racket was a 93sqin??
I currently play with the newest Vcore 95 and love it but I've been itching to have a Prestige again in my kit since I'll just be keeping my graphene touch mids just for the memory.

I've started to steer towards more muted rackets and lower than ~333sw. 330sw is kind of pushing it I dont want to use the heavy anchors like I did as a kid. The Vcore 95 is the first racket I didnt need to add weight to, it felt great without any mods.
Do any of the new Prestige models fit what I want? I cant tell which one I'd like between the Pro, Tour, and Pro 16/19 (did not know this existed until I went through this forum thread).
Is the newest Prestige model muted or do you feel everything? I tried one of the recent Radicals and it felt terrible to me. Nothing like the old radicals when I was a kid and I dont ever want a stiff hollow racket like one of the recent radicals I used.
Is the swingweight too heavy when strung and with a dampener and overgrip?

I'm really eyeing the Pro 16/19 and the Tour but the Tour's SW looks like something I'm trying to avoid...
Click to expand...
Prestige Pro or Gravity line should fit the bill you're after.
 
mattimag said:
To be honest I was never really able to understand this "muted" question .
What I can say is my Pro 16x19 has a great feeling, like old Prestiges and like the Pt57a which I used for many years.
My racket with strings and dampener and overgrip has a 325 swingweight.

I decided to buy a couple of TGT 345.2 which form what I understand should be quite similar to my 2023 Pro 16x19
Click to expand...
The Pro 16/19 is 325SW? Thats right up my alley lol...

Soundbyte said:
Prestige Pro or Gravity line should fit the bill you're after.
Click to expand...
I have the 1st gen Gravity Pro and I liked it but its a little tough in long sets with a OHBH. The Gravity MP launches a little too hard for me. But I do love the way the whole line feels in general.
 
So I was looking at a certain shop in eu and this is what it says at checkout.
"This product cannot be sold outside the European Union with the exception of Switzerland."
So... does that mean I cant buy the 16/19 Pro? I really want to buy this racket...

EDIT: the retailer responded and said they cannot ship head or babolat rackets out of EU. sigh
 
Last edited:
haven't played in about a month , life got in the way and continues to do so. cant give the most constructive thoughts but essentially with the Prestige Pro 2023 i felt a little less connected than the previous iteration as it is a little more muted. With the tighter string pattern and lower launch angle the muted feel kinda makes it a bit too "meh". the rawer feel on the 2021 gave me more feeling of a pop to be reductive. that's pretty much all i can give with the level im at right now. not very in tune with my game at all. serves seemed solid. playability seems the same I just don't like the direction of the feel.

Prestige Tour 2023 tho weirdly i enjoyed the muted feel comapred to the 2021. the raw feel and open ish string bed on the Tour 2021 might've been too much for me

Prestige Pro 2023 strung with Tour Bite Diamond Rough @ 40lbs

 
SupahMan5000 said:
haven't played in about a month , life got in the way and continues to do so. cant give the most constructive thoughts but essentially with the Prestige Pro 2023 i felt a little less connected than the previous iteration as it is a little more muted. With the tighter string pattern and lower launch angle the muted feel kinda makes it a bit too "meh". the rawer feel on the 2021 gave me more feeling of a pop to be reductive. that's pretty much all i can give with the level im at right now. not very in tune with my game at all. serves seemed solid. playability seems the same I just don't like the direction of the feel.

Prestige Tour 2023 tho weirdly i enjoyed the muted feel comapred to the 2021. the raw feel and open ish string bed on the Tour 2021 might've been too much for me

Prestige Pro 2023 strung with Tour Bite Diamond Rough @ 40lbs

Click to expand...
Really nice swing form there. Really want to have that smooth forehand swing haha.

I like BP 18 but seek some maneuverability at net and at serve. I briefly played with ATS 100p and like 18x20 better, although it is not mandatory. When playing with other rackets, I am afraid to swing all out like with BP (flat hitter/low topspin hitter here)

I can get Prestiges at discounted prices because they are really not popular in my country. My questions are:

1. Can you enlighten me about the advantages of Prestige vs Blade Pro? Same feel and plow aren't they?

2. Pro vs Tour for all courter? Main concern: Pro too sluggish, particularly in serves (like BP but lower plow) and Tour too difficult in groundies (tried VC95, didn't feel difficult, but too filmsy)

3. Will MP still have Prestige advantages (particularly for all courter) or will it mainly only have feel as the up point? I can get MP at even lower price, but it seems awkward with 99 sq in and 18x19 pattern...

Thank you in advance!
 
Last edited:
Hi guys, looklike there is a Pro version with 16x19, where could I buy it? Cant find it anywhere online
 
Does anyone know if this will be available in TWE?
I live in Switzerland and I would love to give this a go but I prefer to have the matching service and I don't know of any other companies offering matching.
 
meametz said:
Does anyone know if this will be available in TWE?
I live in Switzerland and I would love to give this a go but I prefer to have the matching service and I don't know of any other companies offering matching.
Click to expand...
Probably it won't. Because the listing for it was up on TWE at the beginning but then got removed. Apparently Head has a deal to sell it only on selected shops and TWE is not one of them
 
Mischko said:
The French retailer offers matching, click through and you'll find it, then you add it to the cart
Click to expand...
Ah, great! Thanks!
Now I only need to decide if this is good enough to blind buy or not hahaha
Do you know if there's a retailer who offers test rackets of this one?
 
I demoed the Pro 16x19 yesterday (it's available in the shops here in The Netherlands). Really nice racquet. My current racquet is the Pure Strike VS. The feel of the Prestige is so much better I'm worried that I can't go back now :(

Did a full training with it. Training approach shots. Short balls for winners or finish at the net. It's more precise than my PSVS. Power & spin is about the same. But the PSVS is of course more manoeuvrable. And at the net this is very clear. The moment I need to react quickly, I'm too late with the Prestige. This maybe needs some adjusting time.

I think I'm going to demo the Tour. Because now I'm craving for this Prestige feeling.
 
musicsoul said:
I demoed the Pro 16x19 yesterday (it's available in the shops here in The Netherlands). Really nice racquet. My current racquet is the Pure Strike VS. The feel of the Prestige is so much better I'm worried that I can't go back now :(

Did a full training with it. Training approach shots. Short balls for winners or finish at the net. It's more precise than my PSVS. Power & spin is about the same. But the PSVS is of course more manoeuvrable. And at the net this is very clear. The moment I need to react quickly, I'm too late with the Prestige. This maybe needs some adjusting time.

I think I'm going to demo the Tour. Because now I'm craving for this Prestige feeling.
Click to expand...
Same as me, Strike VS is my current racquet, and I love it, I still can't decide which version of Prestige I should buy, hope you can give more feedback on other verions, currently I think I will like Pro 16/19
 
I know that it has been some time, but recently I got my hand to PA+ 2019. I usually play with Ezone Tour, Blade Pro 18, and now Prestige MP 2023. I feel that PA+ is "easier" in term of serve, spin, and depth. Nevertheless, I lost 2 my main weapons, namely precise ball placement and pace.



With PA+, I usually win the point with overwhelming deep topspin balls, but within 6-7 shots.



With Prestige, I can end the point max 2-3 shots. I also find that the forward whip is much more satisfying with Prestige.



I tried to add 1+1 g at 3/9 (339 g strung weight) with Hyper G Soft 52 lbs to my PA. But I still find that it is a bit one dimensional, too much spin and not that much control/pace. Should I customize more or is my swing path not compatible with this racket?
 
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