Completely agree!! I’m at the point in my life where I’m not supposed to like this racquet and vice versa but something has just clicked with this frame, now I can’t put it down. I have it strung up with Solinco Mach 10 1.25 at 48lbs, great combo of power and feel. This one of the best serving racquets that I’ve used!
Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Head Gravity Tour
- Thread starter TW Staff
- Start date
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
Strung it up for first hit yesterday. Completely agree with this... Such a likable frame.
Djinn
Semi-Pro
Had my first hit with the GT that I strung with the included Head Hawk Power string. I also wrapped a Wilson Pro Overgrip. I played with it alongside my Graphene XT Speed MP that I’ve customized to Sinner’s spec, ~ 327g, 33.3 cm balance, 340 SW.
GT unstrung specs with plastic on handle were:
Weight: 304.6 g
Balance: 31.8 cm
Swingweight: 292
I haven’t had a chance to measure strung specs, but can take an educated guess: ~327g, 32.7 cm balance, and 322 SW.
The feel was great. Very good power when I was able to take full swings. Serves, volleys, and slices were all good. Launch angle is relatively high as others have mentioned before. My one small issue was that sometimes my shots landed short. I’m pretty sure this is just because I’m so used to playing with 340 SW that a ~20 point drop would have that effect. More testing to come. I’ll add some weight at a later point once I’ve tested stock spec thoroughly. Please feel free to ask any questions.
GT unstrung specs with plastic on handle were:
Weight: 304.6 g
Balance: 31.8 cm
Swingweight: 292
I haven’t had a chance to measure strung specs, but can take an educated guess: ~327g, 32.7 cm balance, and 322 SW.
The feel was great. Very good power when I was able to take full swings. Serves, volleys, and slices were all good. Launch angle is relatively high as others have mentioned before. My one small issue was that sometimes my shots landed short. I’m pretty sure this is just because I’m so used to playing with 340 SW that a ~20 point drop would have that effect. More testing to come. I’ll add some weight at a later point once I’ve tested stock spec thoroughly. Please feel free to ask any questions.
Not in on the playtest, but just tried this out, alongside the ezone 98 and the pure aero 98. Between the three, the pure aero is by far the stiffest and least maneuverable. I did not like it at all. The GT 98 felt very similar to the gravity pro 100 in terms of feel, but it had a higher launch angle and more free power. It was very nice to hit with. The ezone was also on the softer side, and has a nice flex feeling in the throat. Launch angle is less, but overall I think it hits a bigger ball than the Tour 98. The twist weight on the GT98 is listed at 15.5, but it did not play that heavy. I think that for just hitting around, the GT98 might be the most user-friendly of the bunch, but for matchplay the ezone 98 offer is a bit more control so I would go with that.
Crimsonchen
Rookie
Also enjoying the Gravity Tour. First hit with it and it didn't take much to adjust to the higher launch angle than my speed pro. It feels great right off the bat and I was really hoping I wouldn't like it cause it might sway me away from my speed pros
ryushen21
Legend
Got my first hit in today and was pleasantly surprised. More pop than I have been accustomed to in previous Gravitys and a much better swing feel. Not as clunky or club-like. I also noticed this one has a lot more spin than others. It does still seem to have that typical mutedness but there is a little bit better feedback. More hitting to come this week.
SirCraigoryy
Semi-Pro
UPDATE:
I did some light hitting with the Gravity Tour for a couple hours last weekend and wanted to give you all my first impressions...
Like with every racket there is usually some growing pains at the very beginning. I will note that this frame has a higher launch angle than I'm used to and the string bed is denser lower in the head and opens up the higher you go like the Boom line. I think this lead to me spraying a lot of forehands initially. However, by the end of the session there were significantly less and I will restring 1-2lbs tighter with the same string for when I take it out later this week and see if that does anything.
Comfort - very plush, no jarring sensations whatsoever (strung with Kirschbaum Pro Line II, which is a soft dead poly so in combination with the flex of 59 that checks out)
Power - this was a funny one, it's definitely on the lower end and I had to swing out to get a nice penetrating ball, but I if I didn't I just got some nice easy effortless rally ball depth.
Control - other than the launchiness I experienced it's point and shoot
Spin - spin felt adequate, I initially didn't feel like this thing was a spin monster, but the launch angle was a bit higher than I expected and could give the illusion of heavier spin. However, when you crank up RHS and hear that cap grommet whistle that's when you really notice an increase in the heaviness of your shots. Slice was fine, could float or knife it pretty easily.
Note: the balance is not quite where I prefer and it did feel sluggish by the end of the 2 hour session but I think it's because I prefer 7+ptsHL.
I'm hoping to get some video footage uploaded soon and will report back when I have more or for my final review and will try to answer as many questions as I can as I go!
I did some light hitting with the Gravity Tour for a couple hours last weekend and wanted to give you all my first impressions...
Like with every racket there is usually some growing pains at the very beginning. I will note that this frame has a higher launch angle than I'm used to and the string bed is denser lower in the head and opens up the higher you go like the Boom line. I think this lead to me spraying a lot of forehands initially. However, by the end of the session there were significantly less and I will restring 1-2lbs tighter with the same string for when I take it out later this week and see if that does anything.
Comfort - very plush, no jarring sensations whatsoever (strung with Kirschbaum Pro Line II, which is a soft dead poly so in combination with the flex of 59 that checks out)
Power - this was a funny one, it's definitely on the lower end and I had to swing out to get a nice penetrating ball, but I if I didn't I just got some nice easy effortless rally ball depth.
Control - other than the launchiness I experienced it's point and shoot
Spin - spin felt adequate, I initially didn't feel like this thing was a spin monster, but the launch angle was a bit higher than I expected and could give the illusion of heavier spin. However, when you crank up RHS and hear that cap grommet whistle that's when you really notice an increase in the heaviness of your shots. Slice was fine, could float or knife it pretty easily.
Note: the balance is not quite where I prefer and it did feel sluggish by the end of the 2 hour session but I think it's because I prefer 7+ptsHL.
I'm hoping to get some video footage uploaded soon and will report back when I have more or for my final review and will try to answer as many questions as I can as I go!
Interesting. I find the PA98 highly maneuverable.
smithie
Professional
I’m not part of the playtest but I played against someone using the Gravity Tour in a league match last night (first time I’ve seen someone using it), and my god, the whistle is annoying! I only noticed it on the serve, but I can only think it would drive me insane if I used the racket. Is it that bad when playing?
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
If the user doesn't like the sound, he wouldn't be using it. the whistle would only bother the opponent.
Djinn
Semi-Pro
I don't even really notice it while I'm playing
It bothered me. Not enough to stop using it, but it's definitely was a negative
Got out with this for a non-teaching hit yesterday. Soft and smooth while doing what you tell it to do. Just as I remember my initial test. A bit more spin and shape coming off the strings than with my usual sticks, but otherwise it’s similar enough in how it responds.
As before, I notice the teardrop headshape a bit compared to my blades - some extra forgiveness and extra sluggishness/drag. That forces me to take just a tad more time on rally balls and short balls which is good for me, as I will sometimes rush those. It’s a little cumbersome digging a ball out in the corners though. I spent some time with the gravity pro awhile back, so this is not something I can’t adjust to with time and not a complaint. Fun frame either way. Full review to come!
As before, I notice the teardrop headshape a bit compared to my blades - some extra forgiveness and extra sluggishness/drag. That forces me to take just a tad more time on rally balls and short balls which is good for me, as I will sometimes rush those. It’s a little cumbersome digging a ball out in the corners though. I spent some time with the gravity pro awhile back, so this is not something I can’t adjust to with time and not a complaint. Fun frame either way. Full review to come!
AmericanTwist
Hall of Fame
Did not get chosen for this play test which is fine. Meanwhile, I am playing with the UT/UP and the Blade v8 right now. Looking forward to reading these reviews too.
Djinn
Semi-Pro
Quick update, I’ve got about 22 hours on the racquet so far. The first 18 or so were playing at stock spec with the included Hawk Power string at 45 lbs. The racquet felt great but I was missing depth, likely due to the swingweight being ~20 lbs lower than my typical 340.
I added 1 g at 3, 1 g at 9, and 3 g at 12, pushing the SW up to ~336. I have no issues swinging it at my normal and the groundies are now landing deep. It’s been relatively easy to hit through the ball or give it some shape.
I added 1 g at 3, 1 g at 9, and 3 g at 12, pushing the SW up to ~336. I have no issues swinging it at my normal and the groundies are now landing deep. It’s been relatively easy to hit through the ball or give it some shape.
Tmano
Hall of Fame
I guess i will be the first one to post my review.
Racquet: Head Gravity Tour 2025
Grip size: 4 1/4 strung with Velovity MLT power at 47 main and 44 crosses on a drop weight Gamma 4 holding points machine
Personal grip: semi western and double hands back hand
Tennis experiences:
strong 4.5 borderline 5.0 Started playing 2009 when moved to the US although i had played sporadically before i came here, because my main sport was soccer but always loved tennis and Agassi
. First years of tennis here was for fun than i got asked to join a 4.0 league without knowing anything about leagues and it went ok but i soon figured out that people really competitively on leagues so i had to adapt and get better. Fast forward, won back then a couple of 4.0 tourney made to other open local semifinals and finals but at that point i was already playing 4.5 leagues. injuries happened, quite a few but i always came back till i decided to stop playing leagues , however, hitting with quality players ( 5.0 and tennis pros) was still a priority and fun till i reached maybe my pick right before covid and also another injury hit. Recovered, covid was gone and suddenly TE showed up! Took me a year and some more moths in which i hit once or twice a month to give it time till this spring. Took e a few sessions but my tennis partner i used to hit with still very happy to play with me.
Playing Style:
Baseline attaching, counter puncher player with heavy topspin, like to drive the ball, flat and top spin back hands and i like medium powered tennis racquets with a profile between 22 and 23 mm
Current racquet:
Pro Kennex black Ace 300 strung with Velocity, however i would not consider it my racquet, my previous real racquet was a DR98 with 4gs at 11 and 2 and i liked the Head Lynx tour and Mayami hepta power. Now i'm considering the Vcore 98 2023.
Hours played with the racquet: 8 hours so far. Velocity power broke after about 3 hours now strung with Wilson sensation that broke too.
Comments on racquet performance for each strokes: On both sides i was able to generate great pace and keep the trajectory of the ball/net clearance about 4-6 feet with some more loopy defensive forehands and backhands. However, the net clearance depends a lot of what kind of player you are and how you hit the ball. The racquet absorbs incoming pace really well and redirect it amazingly. I rarely hit flat forehands, most of the time i drive that shots but when i tried with the GT i did not have good results, however the backhands was fabulous. The lice stays low close to the net.
Groundstrokes: My partner a solid 5.0 player and he just switched to the GT 2025 so i have a good idea of what kind of balls the GT2025 can generate as far as pace spin power, so here is my break down.
Forehand: it is connected, it is massive weapon if you commit and prepare in advance, the ball once hit the court despite what most of the people i read the reviews said, the ball stays low and it is penetrating and very HEAVY but to produce this ball constantly you need to be fit and a quality players otherwise those loopy spinny shots seen in videos is what you get. However this racquet is it not meant for those shots. Due to be balance the racquet feels heavy and a biy slow through the air.
Backhands: is great, powerful, flat or spinny it is solid but again like the forehand you need preparation and commitment. The racquet help you when you are on the run or stretched and a little flick of the wrist is enough to push the ball over the net. On the backhands the racquet felt better and easier to swing compared to the forehand.
Slice back hand: was amazing, low straight or with side spin it was a razor although a few times in the beginning a few balls went slightly long
Serves: that is when you actually hear the racquet whistling....for real!!!!! It mainly serve slice serves ( see Nadal typal serve) down the T with some exception with some flat serve and i can tell the racquet feels heavy and does not come through that fast to generate some kicks on the ball. I also had some issues finding the other corners
Volleys: I'm not a net/volley player but i do venture at net to close the point and even for me that i honestly and i'm not that great at net the racquet felt rock solid but slow again
Returns: the returns were deep even with a short take back on both sides and i would think it could be because of the balance of the racquet and the multi string set up.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum):
i want to start saying that a week, maybe 10 days before i started playing with the Gravity Tour i demo the Head Boom Pro and the Prince ATS Textreme 98 and the Vcore 98 and my first impression with the GT was that i felt very similar to the Boom Pro just with a different balance but even more similar to the prince ATS 98 in feeling and feedback and power on both sides.
Power/Control: Considering i have multi i lke the power i get, i like power cause i can control il but if i had it strung with poly it would have been a different situation for sure. It has momre power than the Boom Pro on both sides but in my opinion slightly less than the Prince ATS. Control was great and very accurate even when i wanted to change direction down the line after some powerful cross courts balls. I initially found some troubles changing direction going cross courts, it took me a bit before i was comfortable with it. I would assume due to the balance.
Top Spin/Slice: topspin is there for sure especially if you play a bit relaxed you will see the ball clearing the net by a lot with great spin and the balls would land in but those balls have no wait, are not of any danger and can be handled well. The slice as i mentioned above is fantastic, low penetrating heavy. The GT could be a string eater if strung with multi due to the a little open string pattern due to the head shape.
Comfort: As an ex TE player i really pay attention to the comfort and the GT is a comfortable racquet when used multi strings, but i would have probably hybrid it if i had not had TE issues. the flex is 59 but in my opinion it plays a bit stiffer.
Going back to the demo to help people understand the comfort of the GT, I would say the GT is slightly softer than the Boom Pro but maybe a slightly firmer than the Prince ATS. I can't compare to the Vcore cause it is completely different
Feel: i'm a more of a plyer that like mute racquets, flexier than raw and direct and i think this in muted enough but you get a really good feeback from when you hit the balls. I felt quite connected to the GT on both wings similarly to the Prince ATS, the Boom Pro was a bit more direct raw and i did not like it that much. However if i had hit with the Boom Pro before the TE injury i would have probably liked it. Drop shots were fun but harder to calibrate especially with the backhands.
Maneuverability: Not that maneuverable in my opinion, after an hour you can start feeling the weight due to the balance and it becomes too sluggish. It can handled it easily once you have played with it for some time. However, I wished the GT was a 7 PHL
Stability: the GT is very stable in stock form even if you miss hit, or your return are off center. This racquet is thick, and it is a tank in my opinion and again i would compare its stability to the Prince ATS 98
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I will start with an analogy that hopefully will help others. It is like having a sharp prestigious katana in the hand of someone who is a beginner or not that experienced wilding it that wants to cut some bamboo. The result is a failure.
With this racquet it is the same in my opinion. This is not a racquet for everyone. You need to be fit, have more than solid strokes and an all around sound technique and confidence to really enjoy the GT.
I'm not here to make it sounds nice or appealing but i'm honestly trying to help who is deciding to demo/buying it. I think that is what i would want to here if i were about to make the same decision. It is a great racquet and again probably the closest retail racquet close to a pro stock racquet.
In the end, the GT is a fantastic frame, comfortable enough for me not to feel any elbow issues after 8 hours of heavy hitting, which is one of the main aspect i value in a racquets now days. It has some decent power available but i can only talk if strung with multi and it is a must demo for anyone interested in this kinds of racquet or if you previously liked the Boom Pro 2024 or the Prince ATS 98. In the mean time i will continue to play test the racquet and report back new considerations.
Also the racquet's cosmetic is impressive, very detailed, almost too pretty that i would have myself if i scuffed it! The light blue paint fades onto a very dark green then black that you can almost only see outside with the sun light
Thank you TW for giving me the opportunity to ply test the Gravity Tour!!!!
I would think that with multi it can be easier to use than poly, at least you will have more depth.
Racquet: Head Gravity Tour 2025
Grip size: 4 1/4 strung with Velovity MLT power at 47 main and 44 crosses on a drop weight Gamma 4 holding points machine
Personal grip: semi western and double hands back hand
Tennis experiences:
strong 4.5 borderline 5.0 Started playing 2009 when moved to the US although i had played sporadically before i came here, because my main sport was soccer but always loved tennis and Agassi
. First years of tennis here was for fun than i got asked to join a 4.0 league without knowing anything about leagues and it went ok but i soon figured out that people really competitively on leagues so i had to adapt and get better. Fast forward, won back then a couple of 4.0 tourney made to other open local semifinals and finals but at that point i was already playing 4.5 leagues. injuries happened, quite a few but i always came back till i decided to stop playing leagues , however, hitting with quality players ( 5.0 and tennis pros) was still a priority and fun till i reached maybe my pick right before covid and also another injury hit. Recovered, covid was gone and suddenly TE showed up! Took me a year and some more moths in which i hit once or twice a month to give it time till this spring. Took e a few sessions but my tennis partner i used to hit with still very happy to play with me.Playing Style:
Baseline attaching, counter puncher player with heavy topspin, like to drive the ball, flat and top spin back hands and i like medium powered tennis racquets with a profile between 22 and 23 mm
Current racquet:
Pro Kennex black Ace 300 strung with Velocity, however i would not consider it my racquet, my previous real racquet was a DR98 with 4gs at 11 and 2 and i liked the Head Lynx tour and Mayami hepta power. Now i'm considering the Vcore 98 2023.
Hours played with the racquet: 8 hours so far. Velocity power broke after about 3 hours now strung with Wilson sensation that broke too.
Comments on racquet performance for each strokes: On both sides i was able to generate great pace and keep the trajectory of the ball/net clearance about 4-6 feet with some more loopy defensive forehands and backhands. However, the net clearance depends a lot of what kind of player you are and how you hit the ball. The racquet absorbs incoming pace really well and redirect it amazingly. I rarely hit flat forehands, most of the time i drive that shots but when i tried with the GT i did not have good results, however the backhands was fabulous. The lice stays low close to the net.
Groundstrokes: My partner a solid 5.0 player and he just switched to the GT 2025 so i have a good idea of what kind of balls the GT2025 can generate as far as pace spin power, so here is my break down.
Forehand: it is connected, it is massive weapon if you commit and prepare in advance, the ball once hit the court despite what most of the people i read the reviews said, the ball stays low and it is penetrating and very HEAVY but to produce this ball constantly you need to be fit and a quality players otherwise those loopy spinny shots seen in videos is what you get. However this racquet is it not meant for those shots. Due to be balance the racquet feels heavy and a biy slow through the air.
Backhands: is great, powerful, flat or spinny it is solid but again like the forehand you need preparation and commitment. The racquet help you when you are on the run or stretched and a little flick of the wrist is enough to push the ball over the net. On the backhands the racquet felt better and easier to swing compared to the forehand.
Slice back hand: was amazing, low straight or with side spin it was a razor although a few times in the beginning a few balls went slightly long
Serves: that is when you actually hear the racquet whistling....for real!!!!! It mainly serve slice serves ( see Nadal typal serve) down the T with some exception with some flat serve and i can tell the racquet feels heavy and does not come through that fast to generate some kicks on the ball. I also had some issues finding the other corners
Volleys: I'm not a net/volley player but i do venture at net to close the point and even for me that i honestly and i'm not that great at net the racquet felt rock solid but slow again
Returns: the returns were deep even with a short take back on both sides and i would think it could be because of the balance of the racquet and the multi string set up.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum):
i want to start saying that a week, maybe 10 days before i started playing with the Gravity Tour i demo the Head Boom Pro and the Prince ATS Textreme 98 and the Vcore 98 and my first impression with the GT was that i felt very similar to the Boom Pro just with a different balance but even more similar to the prince ATS 98 in feeling and feedback and power on both sides.
Power/Control: Considering i have multi i lke the power i get, i like power cause i can control il but if i had it strung with poly it would have been a different situation for sure. It has momre power than the Boom Pro on both sides but in my opinion slightly less than the Prince ATS. Control was great and very accurate even when i wanted to change direction down the line after some powerful cross courts balls. I initially found some troubles changing direction going cross courts, it took me a bit before i was comfortable with it. I would assume due to the balance.
Top Spin/Slice: topspin is there for sure especially if you play a bit relaxed you will see the ball clearing the net by a lot with great spin and the balls would land in but those balls have no wait, are not of any danger and can be handled well. The slice as i mentioned above is fantastic, low penetrating heavy. The GT could be a string eater if strung with multi due to the a little open string pattern due to the head shape.
Comfort: As an ex TE player i really pay attention to the comfort and the GT is a comfortable racquet when used multi strings, but i would have probably hybrid it if i had not had TE issues. the flex is 59 but in my opinion it plays a bit stiffer.
Going back to the demo to help people understand the comfort of the GT, I would say the GT is slightly softer than the Boom Pro but maybe a slightly firmer than the Prince ATS. I can't compare to the Vcore cause it is completely different
Feel: i'm a more of a plyer that like mute racquets, flexier than raw and direct and i think this in muted enough but you get a really good feeback from when you hit the balls. I felt quite connected to the GT on both wings similarly to the Prince ATS, the Boom Pro was a bit more direct raw and i did not like it that much. However if i had hit with the Boom Pro before the TE injury i would have probably liked it. Drop shots were fun but harder to calibrate especially with the backhands.
Maneuverability: Not that maneuverable in my opinion, after an hour you can start feeling the weight due to the balance and it becomes too sluggish. It can handled it easily once you have played with it for some time. However, I wished the GT was a 7 PHL
Stability: the GT is very stable in stock form even if you miss hit, or your return are off center. This racquet is thick, and it is a tank in my opinion and again i would compare its stability to the Prince ATS 98
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
I will start with an analogy that hopefully will help others. It is like having a sharp prestigious katana in the hand of someone who is a beginner or not that experienced wilding it that wants to cut some bamboo. The result is a failure.
With this racquet it is the same in my opinion. This is not a racquet for everyone. You need to be fit, have more than solid strokes and an all around sound technique and confidence to really enjoy the GT.
I'm not here to make it sounds nice or appealing but i'm honestly trying to help who is deciding to demo/buying it. I think that is what i would want to here if i were about to make the same decision. It is a great racquet and again probably the closest retail racquet close to a pro stock racquet.
In the end, the GT is a fantastic frame, comfortable enough for me not to feel any elbow issues after 8 hours of heavy hitting, which is one of the main aspect i value in a racquets now days. It has some decent power available but i can only talk if strung with multi and it is a must demo for anyone interested in this kinds of racquet or if you previously liked the Boom Pro 2024 or the Prince ATS 98. In the mean time i will continue to play test the racquet and report back new considerations.
Also the racquet's cosmetic is impressive, very detailed, almost too pretty that i would have myself if i scuffed it! The light blue paint fades onto a very dark green then black that you can almost only see outside with the sun light
Thank you TW for giving me the opportunity to ply test the Gravity Tour!!!!
I would think that with multi it can be easier to use than poly, at least you will have more depth.
Last edited:
Dberger820
Rookie
I want to thank Tennis Warehouse and Head for having the playtesting opportunity for the Gravity Tour!
I do not own a swingweight machine, but here are the stats of my Gravity Tour:
Tennis experience/background: I am 40 years old and have been playing since I was a child. Male. I am currently a 4.0 who plays mostly doubles but singles socially and if nobody else will on my team! I have been highly ranked in my region with a national championship for 4.0.
Describe your playing style: I am an aggressive baseliner. I like to end points in under 3 shots preferably in singles or work on setting up my partner for a put away with an angled or deep shot in doubles.
Current racquet/string setups: I am currently playing with the 2023 Head Prestige MPL with slight modifications with the same Toroline Super Toro/Wasabi X combo used in the Gravity Tour test. Before I switched to the Prestige MPL, I played with the 2021 Yonex VCore 98 and the 2021 Head Gravity MP before that both using Babolat RPM Blast.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I played 15 hours myself with the racquet and it was used about 2 hours by two of my good friends who are both 4.5 players. I collected their feedback as well to include in the testing data and will reference below.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
-Groundstrokes: As I have an up and down history of racquets focus on control or spin or comfort etc., this is the spot that the Gravity Tour defied my expectations the most. The weight and balance of the racquet, for me, were perfect. I would place the swingweight to be about 327-330 which is higher than my Prestige MPL, but it felt correct for the racquet. I play indoors and outdoors as I'm in the north. Outside, I loved this stick. I was able to push my opponent back with the much higher than expected launch and spin. I would put this racquet higher than my VCore 98 in both of these categories, but with loads more comfort. On the flip side, when I went indoors I struggled to get comfortable with my shot production to keep every ball in play. This is where my Prestige MPL excels as much like my old Microgel Radical which are more point-and-shoot type racquets, but you're not going to blow anyone off the court. My normal duelling partners all commented how much heavier the balls were off of the Gravity. I didn't cut out the Toroline strings as they still have some life in them, but I'm very excited to see how the Hawk Power string that came with the racquet play. I believe the round strings will help bring down the launch angle and, for me, provide me that much more confidence in going for the corners and knowing the ball will stay within the lines.
My 4.5 buddies had two entirely different experiences. My first friend is a pretty flat, power hitter who uses a Blade v8 98. He plays defensively until he gets an opening then powers a ball through the court into the corners. He had a very hard time matching this racquet to his playing style. He, like me, was not able to find the corners and was hitting most balls long. My other 4.5 buddy is a power spin player who curiously uses the Speed Pro with an 18x20 string pattern. He LOVED the increased spin he found with the Gravity 98. He also commented how much softer the feeling was to him from his Speed. Both guys swing faster than me and said they could hear it whistling, which I had known of but did not tell them ahead of time. It's by no means annoying, but simply interesting compared to other frames.
Comments on racquet performance in each area
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, this was a very enjoyable playtest for me. I was excited when news broke of the Gravity Tour at the end of 2024 and had been wanting to try it out. While I do wish the launch angle was slightly lower, I think this is something I will be able to tame with the correct string. This is definately the Head fighter to the current VCore 98 and, from what I've read, the new TFight 305. They all seem to have this great ability to provide a lot of stability versus weight while also allowing the user to impart spin and power on the ball. Something that 10 years ago was completely unheard of.
I have to give a huge shoutout for the paint job! I love the feel of going back to an all over gloss paint! The coloring is very similar to the Wilson Ultra Pro, but with color blocking and fading in/out of black. Just beautiful!
While this racquet is not for everyone, for 4.0+ men and 4.5+ women who have long, topspin oriented strokes this could be a devastating weapon on court!
I do not own a swingweight machine, but here are the stats of my Gravity Tour:
- As shipped including cardboard placard and plastic on handle: 323g, 32.7cm balance
- With only plastic on handle: 310g, 32.1cm balance
- With no packaging: 307g, 31.9cm balance
- Strung with poly string, no overgrip: 324g, 32.9cm balance
- Strung, with overgrip (as playtested): 329g, 32.8 balance
Tennis experience/background: I am 40 years old and have been playing since I was a child. Male. I am currently a 4.0 who plays mostly doubles but singles socially and if nobody else will on my team! I have been highly ranked in my region with a national championship for 4.0.
Describe your playing style: I am an aggressive baseliner. I like to end points in under 3 shots preferably in singles or work on setting up my partner for a put away with an angled or deep shot in doubles.
Current racquet/string setups: I am currently playing with the 2023 Head Prestige MPL with slight modifications with the same Toroline Super Toro/Wasabi X combo used in the Gravity Tour test. Before I switched to the Prestige MPL, I played with the 2021 Yonex VCore 98 and the 2021 Head Gravity MP before that both using Babolat RPM Blast.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? I played 15 hours myself with the racquet and it was used about 2 hours by two of my good friends who are both 4.5 players. I collected their feedback as well to include in the testing data and will reference below.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke:
-Groundstrokes: As I have an up and down history of racquets focus on control or spin or comfort etc., this is the spot that the Gravity Tour defied my expectations the most. The weight and balance of the racquet, for me, were perfect. I would place the swingweight to be about 327-330 which is higher than my Prestige MPL, but it felt correct for the racquet. I play indoors and outdoors as I'm in the north. Outside, I loved this stick. I was able to push my opponent back with the much higher than expected launch and spin. I would put this racquet higher than my VCore 98 in both of these categories, but with loads more comfort. On the flip side, when I went indoors I struggled to get comfortable with my shot production to keep every ball in play. This is where my Prestige MPL excels as much like my old Microgel Radical which are more point-and-shoot type racquets, but you're not going to blow anyone off the court. My normal duelling partners all commented how much heavier the balls were off of the Gravity. I didn't cut out the Toroline strings as they still have some life in them, but I'm very excited to see how the Hawk Power string that came with the racquet play. I believe the round strings will help bring down the launch angle and, for me, provide me that much more confidence in going for the corners and knowing the ball will stay within the lines.
My 4.5 buddies had two entirely different experiences. My first friend is a pretty flat, power hitter who uses a Blade v8 98. He plays defensively until he gets an opening then powers a ball through the court into the corners. He had a very hard time matching this racquet to his playing style. He, like me, was not able to find the corners and was hitting most balls long. My other 4.5 buddy is a power spin player who curiously uses the Speed Pro with an 18x20 string pattern. He LOVED the increased spin he found with the Gravity 98. He also commented how much softer the feeling was to him from his Speed. Both guys swing faster than me and said they could hear it whistling, which I had known of but did not tell them ahead of time. It's by no means annoying, but simply interesting compared to other frames.
- Serves: This was my favorite shot to hit with the Gravity Tour. Due to a shoulder injury, I'm unable to hit flat serves and everything is currently sliced. The Gravity excels at providing a great bite to the ball while also extra pop compared to my Prestige. I never felt like I lacked any control and the ball routinely got up to shoulder heights on my opponents.
- Volleys: Balance is very important to me as I've gotten older and become more of a doubles player. This racquet perfectly marries weight, balance, and stability for volleys. I was able to put good pace on stick volleys and even when off-center they typically went to where I was aiming.
- Serve returns: Returns were a mixed bag for me. In one hand, the stability in the hoop provided great solidity punching returns back. On the other hand, I was worried about attacking serves due to not being able to control the depth of shot as much as I would like. I would then overthink the returns and lay them up to be easily attacked. I still believe the correct string is just as important for this racquet as the racquet itself and returns is where it would benefit greatly from the correct match. My 4.5 buddies did not have the same sentiments as me in this aspect and LOVED returning serves. They were both pounding returns off both wings and commented that it was one of their favorite shots.
Comments on racquet performance in each area
- Power/Control- I would rate power as 7/10. It is not an EZone in this regard, but definitely offers more power than the previous Gravity line. I would rate control as a 6/10. I have become more used to the flatter, lower powered control over the past year but if I was playing with the VCore and tested this I think it would be very easy to switch between the two. This is the racquet you have control based more on spin and must use that spin effectively
- Top Spin/Slice- Topspin was quite high. Much higher than I expected from a 98 square inch, sub 60 stiffness racquet. While I had to adjust my strokes to accommodate the topspin, I had no such adjustment required for slice and loved the depth I was able to get on my slice.
- Comfort- Comfort was a 10/10. Much like many other racquets are trending towards, this Gravity Tour has been able to blend a flexible, soft throat with a stiffer hoop to give you both the comfort as well as stability needed for the modern game
- Feel- Although the Gravity line is not a "heritage" line with Head, I can only say this has the 'classic' Gravity feel that people who have played with prior generations have come to love. I always explain to people its the perfect blend of the Prestige and Speed. You get the stable, softness of the Prestige and the power and grunt of the Speed. My club has all Head frames as demos and since it's inception, the Gravity has had the best overall feel in my opinion and this continues that trend
- Maneuverability- As I mentioned before, to me, this stick has the perfect balance to swingweight for my game. I never felt like it was too sluggish (which my older Gravity MP often felt) or too light. I never struggled with timing or tired during play. At net, I was able to get the racquet into position easily, and while not as whippy as my lighter Prestige MPL, I never felt like I couldn't get it up quickly when needed
- Stability- 10/10. For it's weight, this is the most stable racquet I have ever hit with stock. This was an absolute beast and I felt like I was handling my 4.5 buddies shots so much easier with the Gravity Tour than my Prestige MPL and it wasn't even close. An absolute stand out feature and magical how Head was able to inbue this with such a solid feel without being 315g unstrung. Well done Head!
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, this was a very enjoyable playtest for me. I was excited when news broke of the Gravity Tour at the end of 2024 and had been wanting to try it out. While I do wish the launch angle was slightly lower, I think this is something I will be able to tame with the correct string. This is definately the Head fighter to the current VCore 98 and, from what I've read, the new TFight 305. They all seem to have this great ability to provide a lot of stability versus weight while also allowing the user to impart spin and power on the ball. Something that 10 years ago was completely unheard of.
I have to give a huge shoutout for the paint job! I love the feel of going back to an all over gloss paint! The coloring is very similar to the Wilson Ultra Pro, but with color blocking and fading in/out of black. Just beautiful!
While this racquet is not for everyone, for 4.0+ men and 4.5+ women who have long, topspin oriented strokes this could be a devastating weapon on court!
SirCraigoryy
Semi-Pro
HEAD GRAVITY TOUR 2025 PLAYTEST REVIEW:
Playstyle:
32yo male/5.8”/179lbs./lean, muscular, athletic build
Extreme Eastern/Conservative Semi-Western FH and Eastern OHBH
I play an attack oriented and hyper aggressive all court game highly influenced by my favorite players i.e. Federer, Musetti, Shapovalov, Evans, Tu. I have a relatively big first serve and aggressive second serve for my size which usually nets me plenty of aces, service winners, +1s, and occasionally double faults. My game plan is usually to hit my forehand as much as I can and try to create openings for short balls, easy put aways, or to follow to the net and end the point there. My forehand and slightly flatter backhand have good margin and penetrating topspin that kicks through the court as opposed to jumping up. I tend to slice my backhand often as my height makes higher balls a bit tougher but I do get a hard knifing/skidding action on the ball which I utilize to get a weak response and transition into attack.
Tennis Experience/Background:
I played soccer my whole life as my main sport (dabbled at the college level but retried due to too many serious injuries), had a very successful track career in high school as a sprinter (had a couple school records for a brief period), did a little competitive power lifting post college, and still weight training 4-5 days per week. I started playing tennis when I was 14 in 2006 where I went to a few summer camps to learn the basics, played and captioned my high school team, played frequently but recreationally in college, and now I currently play at the 4.0 level in my club’s men’s 3.0-4.0 singles league where I do pretty well and am usually near the top of the leaderboard/rankings but I don't really care much about winning or losing as long as I'm playing well. I'm predominantly self-taught from many MANY YouTube videos.
Current Racket/String Setup:
I currently use a Yonex VCORE SV 98 with the base grip swapped out for a Tourna Pro Thin replacement grip, Tourna Tac overgrip, a couple grams of lead under the trap door to get the balance up to 7ptsHL and strung with Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 49lbs.
String and tension used for playtest:
I strung this frame up with my tried-and-true usual string of choice, Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 48-49lbs and then restrung it at 50-51lbs.
Number of hours played with the racket:
Approximately 10 hours.
Groundstrokes:
I had a small adjustment period with my groundstrokes as the frame has variable string spacing where it’s denser towards the lower and middle portions of the head and opens up towards the top leading to some launchiness when you hit higher in the stringbed resulting in a few shanks on sitters and general routine rally balls that sailed long. After a few hours or so I grew accustomed to the response and groundstrokes felt very fluid and easy but as the pace went up that launchiness in the upper hoop did show up every now and again. I'll add that RHS is key and highly affects what kind of ball you produce. If you swing out and really commit to getting that cap grommet to whistle you are rewarded with a heavy ball, but if you don’t you just get some nice easy effortless rally ball depth but it has no weight behind it. It also felt very plush and stable that didn’t get pushed around even when the pace went up.
Serves:
Wow this thing had so much more pop than I was expecting! I do think that might have to do with the fact that you really need to swing hard and fast to generate pace/power with this frame but that is kind of a natural swing on serve for me and most people. I was able to get flats and slices really moving down the T and kickers were jumping high and away on the AD side while the slice wide and kicker body combo on the deuce side worked flawlessly.
Returns:
This racket’s soft flex, thin profile beam, and solid stability makes it a great frame for returning. I found that it absorbs and redirects pace incredibly well. However, it can be a bit sluggish to get around on returns, so I usually resorted to block returns, but I generally like to take a deep return position giving me more time to get the racket in position and take a good rip.
Volleys:
Even though I initially experienced some launchiness in the upper portion of the string bed I didn’t find this to be an issue at all at net. It actually provided an incredibly soft and fairly connected feel at net and gave me a very point and shoot response. However, I did have more success with it on redirecting shots at net and put away volleys as opposed to touch angles and drop shots due to it’s slightly muted feel. I also had no problems with stability, and it remained as rock solid at net as it was from behind the baseline as pace went up.
Power:
This was a funny one and hard for me to pin down. I hit it alongside my VCORE SV 98 and Head Extreme Pro 2024 and I’d say in the lower to middle of the string bed it plays more similar to the low powered response of the Extreme Pro but higher in the string bed it has plenty of pop like my VCORE. One thing I am certain of though is that no matter where on the string bed you make contact you have to really swing it if you want any semblance of power as mentioned before if you don’t you just get some nice easy depth but there’s no weight behind it.
Control:
This is another funny one. Other than the initial launchiness I experienced I wouldn’t say that this frame lacks control in any manner. From behind the baseline, it’s not a point and shoot racket like an Extreme Pro or a Blade 98 18x20 but I think this is a racket where you have more control the faster you swing and the more spin you are able to generate letting the topspin do the targeting for you. I was far more confident going cross court than down the line as the ball had more time to drop but overall, I do think this has a very controlled response barring your able to keep your racket head speed up.
Top Spin/Slice:
Spin felt adequate but nothing special at first. I initially didn’t feel like this thing was a spin monster, but the launch angle was a bit higher than I expected and could give the illusion of heavier spin or a steeper drop. However, as the playtest went on and I spent more time with the racket, when you crank up the racket head speed and hear that cap grommet whistle that’s when you really notice an increase in RPMS and in the heaviness of your shots. However, this did lead to the racket eating through strings pretty quickly. Slice was fine, I could float it or knife it pretty easily when I wanted to and actually had a few winners off of double bounces because I got it to skid so low (this was probably also due to the fresh balls being slightly dead out of the can that day) but still something worth noting.
Comfort/Feel:
The comfort was great and the best part of the playtest! It felt very plush with no jarring sensations whatsoever, even on off center shots. I strung it with Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 48-49lbs. and 50-51lbs. which is soft dead poly so in combination with the flex of 59 that checks out. The feel was very solid on impact and the response was more muted from behind the baseline than it was at net, but I still felt like I was getting good feedback from both.
Maneuverability:
Unfortunately, this was the worst part of the playtest for me as the balance is not quite where I prefer at 4ptsHL as opposed to 7ptsHL. Initially when you’re fresh and start playing the racket feels light and easy to wield. However, by the end of a 2-hour session I found it to be very sluggish in the backcourt, at net, and on serves. It kind of reminds me of the older Blades that had that 330ish swingweight, 3ptsHL balance, and the 11.2-11.3oz static weight that hit a big ball for its weight class except I never got tired swinging those. Fortunately, the balance can be easily remedied by putting in the Head weighted trapdoor (the Gravity Tour comes with the unweighted one) which actually brings it up to my preferred 7pts HL.
Stability:
Incredibly stable for it’s 11.4oz/323g weight and forgiving on off-center hits. I don’t see the need to add any weight to the hoop unless you’re looking for more power. Unless you’re going against absolutely huge hitters this thing will be immoveable in stock form and get the job done.
General reactions/comments on overall performance:
First and foremost, there’s a reason why they call it the “Gravity”, because my jaw dropped when I first saw it. This has to be one of the prettiest looking retail frames I’ve seen in a long time and the full gloss feels really good in hand. This was a very interesting frame to playtest as it seems like Head created a hybrid frame with some attributes from other frames that people seem to really like, i.e. thin box beam profile of a Blade, launch angle of a VCORE 98, head shape and response similar to a Boom PRO, and the flex and feel of a VCORE 95. Now, I don’t like gatekeeping rackets as I think anyone should be able to use, enjoy, and grow with whatever racket they desire but this is definitely a frame geared towards higher intermediate to advanced players as you do need to be very fit and have solid fundamental mechanics to get the most out of it. I do wish that the launch angle would be slightly lower and would close the upper hoop a little to remedy the launchiness I experienced or change it to a 16x20 (my personal favorite) for a more consistent response. In conclusion, this is a great racket if you can swing it and keep the RHS up consistently and is best suited to attacking baseliners or all court players who hit a flatter more penetrating ball through the court. Thanks again to TW for this great opportunity, it’s always a pleasure and fun playtesting rackets like this!
Playstyle:
32yo male/5.8”/179lbs./lean, muscular, athletic build
Extreme Eastern/Conservative Semi-Western FH and Eastern OHBH
I play an attack oriented and hyper aggressive all court game highly influenced by my favorite players i.e. Federer, Musetti, Shapovalov, Evans, Tu. I have a relatively big first serve and aggressive second serve for my size which usually nets me plenty of aces, service winners, +1s, and occasionally double faults. My game plan is usually to hit my forehand as much as I can and try to create openings for short balls, easy put aways, or to follow to the net and end the point there. My forehand and slightly flatter backhand have good margin and penetrating topspin that kicks through the court as opposed to jumping up. I tend to slice my backhand often as my height makes higher balls a bit tougher but I do get a hard knifing/skidding action on the ball which I utilize to get a weak response and transition into attack.
Tennis Experience/Background:
I played soccer my whole life as my main sport (dabbled at the college level but retried due to too many serious injuries), had a very successful track career in high school as a sprinter (had a couple school records for a brief period), did a little competitive power lifting post college, and still weight training 4-5 days per week. I started playing tennis when I was 14 in 2006 where I went to a few summer camps to learn the basics, played and captioned my high school team, played frequently but recreationally in college, and now I currently play at the 4.0 level in my club’s men’s 3.0-4.0 singles league where I do pretty well and am usually near the top of the leaderboard/rankings but I don't really care much about winning or losing as long as I'm playing well. I'm predominantly self-taught from many MANY YouTube videos.
Current Racket/String Setup:
I currently use a Yonex VCORE SV 98 with the base grip swapped out for a Tourna Pro Thin replacement grip, Tourna Tac overgrip, a couple grams of lead under the trap door to get the balance up to 7ptsHL and strung with Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 49lbs.
String and tension used for playtest:
I strung this frame up with my tried-and-true usual string of choice, Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 48-49lbs and then restrung it at 50-51lbs.
Number of hours played with the racket:
Approximately 10 hours.
Groundstrokes:
I had a small adjustment period with my groundstrokes as the frame has variable string spacing where it’s denser towards the lower and middle portions of the head and opens up towards the top leading to some launchiness when you hit higher in the stringbed resulting in a few shanks on sitters and general routine rally balls that sailed long. After a few hours or so I grew accustomed to the response and groundstrokes felt very fluid and easy but as the pace went up that launchiness in the upper hoop did show up every now and again. I'll add that RHS is key and highly affects what kind of ball you produce. If you swing out and really commit to getting that cap grommet to whistle you are rewarded with a heavy ball, but if you don’t you just get some nice easy effortless rally ball depth but it has no weight behind it. It also felt very plush and stable that didn’t get pushed around even when the pace went up.
Serves:
Wow this thing had so much more pop than I was expecting! I do think that might have to do with the fact that you really need to swing hard and fast to generate pace/power with this frame but that is kind of a natural swing on serve for me and most people. I was able to get flats and slices really moving down the T and kickers were jumping high and away on the AD side while the slice wide and kicker body combo on the deuce side worked flawlessly.
Returns:
This racket’s soft flex, thin profile beam, and solid stability makes it a great frame for returning. I found that it absorbs and redirects pace incredibly well. However, it can be a bit sluggish to get around on returns, so I usually resorted to block returns, but I generally like to take a deep return position giving me more time to get the racket in position and take a good rip.
Volleys:
Even though I initially experienced some launchiness in the upper portion of the string bed I didn’t find this to be an issue at all at net. It actually provided an incredibly soft and fairly connected feel at net and gave me a very point and shoot response. However, I did have more success with it on redirecting shots at net and put away volleys as opposed to touch angles and drop shots due to it’s slightly muted feel. I also had no problems with stability, and it remained as rock solid at net as it was from behind the baseline as pace went up.
Power:
This was a funny one and hard for me to pin down. I hit it alongside my VCORE SV 98 and Head Extreme Pro 2024 and I’d say in the lower to middle of the string bed it plays more similar to the low powered response of the Extreme Pro but higher in the string bed it has plenty of pop like my VCORE. One thing I am certain of though is that no matter where on the string bed you make contact you have to really swing it if you want any semblance of power as mentioned before if you don’t you just get some nice easy depth but there’s no weight behind it.
Control:
This is another funny one. Other than the initial launchiness I experienced I wouldn’t say that this frame lacks control in any manner. From behind the baseline, it’s not a point and shoot racket like an Extreme Pro or a Blade 98 18x20 but I think this is a racket where you have more control the faster you swing and the more spin you are able to generate letting the topspin do the targeting for you. I was far more confident going cross court than down the line as the ball had more time to drop but overall, I do think this has a very controlled response barring your able to keep your racket head speed up.
Top Spin/Slice:
Spin felt adequate but nothing special at first. I initially didn’t feel like this thing was a spin monster, but the launch angle was a bit higher than I expected and could give the illusion of heavier spin or a steeper drop. However, as the playtest went on and I spent more time with the racket, when you crank up the racket head speed and hear that cap grommet whistle that’s when you really notice an increase in RPMS and in the heaviness of your shots. However, this did lead to the racket eating through strings pretty quickly. Slice was fine, I could float it or knife it pretty easily when I wanted to and actually had a few winners off of double bounces because I got it to skid so low (this was probably also due to the fresh balls being slightly dead out of the can that day) but still something worth noting.
Comfort/Feel:
The comfort was great and the best part of the playtest! It felt very plush with no jarring sensations whatsoever, even on off center shots. I strung it with Kirschbaum Pro Line II 1.25/17g at 48-49lbs. and 50-51lbs. which is soft dead poly so in combination with the flex of 59 that checks out. The feel was very solid on impact and the response was more muted from behind the baseline than it was at net, but I still felt like I was getting good feedback from both.
Maneuverability:
Unfortunately, this was the worst part of the playtest for me as the balance is not quite where I prefer at 4ptsHL as opposed to 7ptsHL. Initially when you’re fresh and start playing the racket feels light and easy to wield. However, by the end of a 2-hour session I found it to be very sluggish in the backcourt, at net, and on serves. It kind of reminds me of the older Blades that had that 330ish swingweight, 3ptsHL balance, and the 11.2-11.3oz static weight that hit a big ball for its weight class except I never got tired swinging those. Fortunately, the balance can be easily remedied by putting in the Head weighted trapdoor (the Gravity Tour comes with the unweighted one) which actually brings it up to my preferred 7pts HL.
Stability:
Incredibly stable for it’s 11.4oz/323g weight and forgiving on off-center hits. I don’t see the need to add any weight to the hoop unless you’re looking for more power. Unless you’re going against absolutely huge hitters this thing will be immoveable in stock form and get the job done.
General reactions/comments on overall performance:
First and foremost, there’s a reason why they call it the “Gravity”, because my jaw dropped when I first saw it. This has to be one of the prettiest looking retail frames I’ve seen in a long time and the full gloss feels really good in hand. This was a very interesting frame to playtest as it seems like Head created a hybrid frame with some attributes from other frames that people seem to really like, i.e. thin box beam profile of a Blade, launch angle of a VCORE 98, head shape and response similar to a Boom PRO, and the flex and feel of a VCORE 95. Now, I don’t like gatekeeping rackets as I think anyone should be able to use, enjoy, and grow with whatever racket they desire but this is definitely a frame geared towards higher intermediate to advanced players as you do need to be very fit and have solid fundamental mechanics to get the most out of it. I do wish that the launch angle would be slightly lower and would close the upper hoop a little to remedy the launchiness I experienced or change it to a 16x20 (my personal favorite) for a more consistent response. In conclusion, this is a great racket if you can swing it and keep the RHS up consistently and is best suited to attacking baseliners or all court players who hit a flatter more penetrating ball through the court. Thanks again to TW for this great opportunity, it’s always a pleasure and fun playtesting rackets like this!
Crimsonchen
Rookie
Gravity Tour 98 Playtest
String and tension used for test: Head Lynx Touch @ 57 lbs + Head Velocity Power @ 59 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: 18+ years experience, USTA 4.5 male
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseliner, Flat groundies, two-handed backhand. I generally prefer to hit corner to corner in singles and finish short balls at the net.
Current racquet/string setups: Head Legend Speed Pro Head Lynx Touch @ 48 lbs + Tecnifibre NRG2 @ 50lbs. I generally have played with higher tensions in the past but have recently lowered my tensions for a bit extra spin/power/comfort
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 15+
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: The aspect I enjoyed most about this racquet was the groundstrokes by a mile. I feel that the weight and swingweight on this racquet were perfect for me. I had to adjust to the high launch angle of the racquet (coming from the 18x20 speed pro), but honestly, it took almost no time at all and I felt that I had been using the racquet for years. The touch from this racquet is buttery smooth and I was getting a lot of spin on my groundstrokes with a control setup of Lynx Touch/Velocity Power.
-Serves: I felt right at home with serving with this racquet. I noticed a huge leap in spin compared to my speed pro. I had no issues hitting flat serves but I think my kick serve received a huge boost with this racquet's 16x19 string pattern. Even with flat serves, there seemed to be more pop, so overall, I think this racquet really helped my serves.
-Volleys: I found the Gravity Tour to be very maneuverable at the net and during doubles, I felt very comfortable at the net which is not something I could say about my Speed Pro. This racquet makes volleying fun because I felt that I had a bit more spin on drop volleys but also could punch the volleys if I wanted. I didn't feel like I was getting jammed up with this racquet at net and the thin beam of the Gravity Tour just makes it a lot of fun at the net.
-Serve returns: Although sometimes my forehand was erratic with the Gravity Tour, I was able to make a lot of my returns with depth. I think that my returns felt a bit slower with the Gravity Tour, but mainly because there is a lot of spin on my returns. With the racquet feeling maneuverable, I felt like I could prepare a little faster for a serve than I would with other racquets.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control- I would consider this racquet a power/spin racquet. With the 16x19 string pattern, it's definitely got a high launch angle, but the spin helps it become a control racquet. I felt that I could comfortably get depth on my groundstrokes from the spin produced from the racquet. However, I did feel like there were times where my forehand groundstrokes would fly into the fence if I wasn't locked in. I think with the right strings and tension, this racquet could have really nice control, but for me, the big selling point was the spin and depth. I would also add that for me, I needed to really swing through the ball to get the depth and spin on my groundstrokes. If I slowed down, I noticed a lot more balls flying out which I noticed more when I would get tired.
Top Spin/Slice- As mentioned earlier, I feel that the Gravity Tour shines in the spin department. Even without a spinny string set up, I was able to produce a lot of top spin when needed. I generally have flat strokes with minimum spin, but to see my groundstrokes change to heavy topspin almost made me want to switch from the Speed Pro. As for slices, I struggled a bit keeping the slices low, but also noticed an increase in side spin off the bounces.
Comfort- With it's low RA, this racquet feels very comfortable on the arm. I didn't have any arm issues throughout the playtest as I usually get soreness from my golfer's elbow. I played it safe with a semi arm-friendly string set up with lynx touch and velocity power, but after hitting with this set up, I felt that I could even attempt full poly with this racquet as it felt very flexible.
Feel- The touch on this racquet complimented by the flex of the frame makes this racquet fun to play with in terms of dropshots and drop volleys. I loved playing with this racquet at the net because the touch is one of the best that I've tested before. As mentioned in the comfort section, this racquet is one of the softest frames that I've tested (aside from the Clash) and the Gravity just has a unique feel to it that I would recommend to all players dealing with elbow issues. The bigger sweetspot is very noticeable for me as I am not the cleanest hitter. The Gravity is definitely a lot more forgiving on off-centered shots than most racquets which is always a bonus for me
Maneuverability- This racquet felt very maneuverable for me at the net. I had no issues lifting the racquet for volleys or returns. It didn't feel whippy at all which is a good thing for me as I generally prefer head-heavy racquets so I think the balance on this racquet was perfect in that it wasn't too sluggish, but also not too whippy.
Stability- This racquet seemed a tad bit less stable than the Speed Pro but still felt pretty stable in stock form. In the future, I'd like to attempt adding some lead to the 3+9 for a heavier ball, but I think this racquet is great in stock form!
General reaction/comments on overall performance: Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this frame. It really had me contemplating switching to the Gravity Tour due to it's spin potential, feel, and net play. I did notice the whistle on serves and backhands (depends on the angle of the racquet when swinging) but it didn't bother me. The paint is also something that really shines. I hope we can see more glossy paintjobs like the Gravity! I want to say huge thanks to Tennis Warehouse and Head for this playtest opportunity.
ryushen21
Legend
Here's my review!
String and tension used for test: I went with Toroline Wasabi in the mains and Toroline Caviar in the crosses 47/45lbs.
Tennis experience/background: I'm 41 with approxmiately 20 years of tennis play under my belt. Once upon a time, I was in the 4.0/4.5 range for USTA and currently probably around the 6.5-7.5 UTR range.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I'm an all-court player constantly looking for the ball to attack and follow in so I can finish the point from the service line or net. I rely heavily on touch and finesse and less on power. Semi-western FH, Aggressive 2HBH, Mainly Kick/Slice serve, but I do throw the flat serve in too
Current racquet/string setups: V8 Blade Pro 16m with gut mains and poly crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet?: At time of writing, I've got about 12 hours.
Groundstrokes: I really enjoyed groundstrokes with this frame, and I feel like this frame is starting to lean more towards the baseliners in terms of design and feel although there is definitely a fair amount of control worked into this frame. One of the things that was instantly apparent in this frame is the amount of spin available. This looks like a more open pattern than previous Gravity frames I've used. I had no issues generating spin and pace with this frame on either side. I was able to generate shape or drive the ball flatter with ease. One thing that was not surprising was how friendly this racquet was on the 2HBH. I was able to hit big booming backhands freely, and that is extremely rewarding. Another aspect of this frame that deserves mention is how well it handles approaches. I play a lot of shots on the close, and I was impressed with how controlled this racquet was and how confidently I could swing at those shots and keep them in the court.
Serves: I loved serving with this racquet. While there wasn't as much free pop in this frame, there was definitely a gain in control as I was able to hit my spots consistently. I found myself not having to try to hit the flat serve as hard because I was getting such good placement. The spin on this frame was also clearly evident in the kick and slice serves. I was regularly getting big kicks up above the shoulders. And the slice serve out wide was just brutal.
Volleys: This was a bit of a mixed bag for me and one of the weaker aspects of this frame. This frame performs well with volleys when the ball is hit hard. The response is firm but not exactly crisp. This frame also does an amazing job of diffusing and redirecting pace. I was able to hit drop volleys off of aggressive returns with ease. However, if the ball wasn't coming in as quickly, volleys didn't feel as clean. As a person who likes a crisp feel on volleys, that just wasn't there for me on this frame. I also felt the racquet could have been a bit more stable at the net. Either some added stiffness or perhaps some lead at 3/9 might help.
Serve Returns: This was another aspect of this frame that I really enjoyed. Because the power level is on the lower end, I could be aggressive on returns while keeping the ball in play. I think this is partly because this frame likes to have a lot of power coming into it and a lot of power put through it. I hit some of the best backhand returns of my life with this frame because I could really step in and attack rather than feeling like I had to block the ball back or just chip a return. Although, it can chip the return well too.
Power/Control: This is undoubtedly a lower-powered frame. But, unlike the other frames in the line, I feel like this frame finds an ideal balance between the static weight and swing weight to make it an incredibly usable racquet. What I initially thought was more pop in the racquet was actually just the ease of swing and getting the racquet going. That faster swing speed translates to better shots with more depth. Control on this racquet is also top-notch. When you get it going, you can feel the flex in the hoop which makes going after your targets an easy task. I could adjust between hitting zones with big spin or going for small targets with precision.
Top Spin/Slice: The term "spin-friendly" is an apt description of this frame. Heavy topspin was easy to produce with and more noticeable for me on the backhand, where I typically don't see it as much. However, it was not lacking on the forehand as I saw plenty of sharp drops and big bounces. Slice was also incredibly effective with this frame. I was able to keep the ball nice and low while still hitting deep slices that caused a lot of problems for those on the opposite side of the net.
Comfort: There is no question that this racquet was built with comfort in mind. Playing with a full poly setup felt great, and I had no reactions or flare-up in my arm from it. I think there is room to make the racquet just a touch firmer. While full poly felt great in this racquet, I suspect that softer strings might make this racquet feel a bit mushy because it is already so comfortable. I considered using a gut/poly setup in this frame, but I feel like it wouldn't be the right way to go.
Feel: As has been my issue with every iteration of the Gravity that I have tried, I wish this frame were not as muted and allowed more feeling to come through the racquet and to the player. When I initially felt the hoop flex, I got really excited and hopeful that maybe some of that old-school Head feel was going to come through as the strings settled in. But it never showed up. There is still this vagueness to the racquet that is hard for me to get over. So it's a bit of a missed opportunity for me in the feel department. If they brought more feel to this racquet, I could see it challenging the Blade Pro as my main racquet.
Maneuverability: This racquet felt great in the hands and easy to bring into position for any shot. There was just the right amount of plow and whip to be able to hit any groundstroke the way that I wanted to. I particularly appreciated how nimble it felt coming through the court and attacking from the midcourt and further up. At the net, I could easily get it into position and attack the ball how I wanted to.
Stability: Off the ground, I have no issues with the stability of the racquet. However, as I mentioned previously, there was some instability at the net. I think a slightly stiffer layup might help resolve this issue without having to add any additional weight. However, there is a chance that adding lead at 3/9 might resolve that issue. I do wonder if that would compromise the overall swing feel of the frame.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: From a purely impartial standpoint, this is a fantastic offering from Head that I think will appeal to a wide range of players, though it may be targeted slightly more towards big-hitting baseliners. The string pattern is practically perfect. Spin and control are both highlights of this frame, as long as the player can supply the power. The ability to switch modes of play is another noteworthy feature. You don't have to feel tied to one style or the other, because this frame can handle both. The ability to have access to the full range of shots from any part of the court with confidence is another standout attribute. Net performance could be a little bit better, but there may be easy remedies through the application of lead in the hoop. If you are already accustomed to the more muted feel of modern racquets, you won't miss the feedback that this racquet lacks. Honestly, I would rate this racquet as a 9/10 because it really is fantastic.
From my more biased standpoint, as much as I do like this racquet, I feel like Head really missed an opportunity here. With just a slightly stiffer layup, this racquet could be ideal for almost any player. If it were not as muted as it is, players could have more feel in the frame that is sadly missing from most modern frames. Add those two things together, and you would have a sweet-swinging frame with perfect power, more classic feedback/response, and awesome control.
String and tension used for test: I went with Toroline Wasabi in the mains and Toroline Caviar in the crosses 47/45lbs.
Tennis experience/background: I'm 41 with approxmiately 20 years of tennis play under my belt. Once upon a time, I was in the 4.0/4.5 range for USTA and currently probably around the 6.5-7.5 UTR range.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I'm an all-court player constantly looking for the ball to attack and follow in so I can finish the point from the service line or net. I rely heavily on touch and finesse and less on power. Semi-western FH, Aggressive 2HBH, Mainly Kick/Slice serve, but I do throw the flat serve in too
Current racquet/string setups: V8 Blade Pro 16m with gut mains and poly crosses
How many hours did you play with the racquet?: At time of writing, I've got about 12 hours.
Groundstrokes: I really enjoyed groundstrokes with this frame, and I feel like this frame is starting to lean more towards the baseliners in terms of design and feel although there is definitely a fair amount of control worked into this frame. One of the things that was instantly apparent in this frame is the amount of spin available. This looks like a more open pattern than previous Gravity frames I've used. I had no issues generating spin and pace with this frame on either side. I was able to generate shape or drive the ball flatter with ease. One thing that was not surprising was how friendly this racquet was on the 2HBH. I was able to hit big booming backhands freely, and that is extremely rewarding. Another aspect of this frame that deserves mention is how well it handles approaches. I play a lot of shots on the close, and I was impressed with how controlled this racquet was and how confidently I could swing at those shots and keep them in the court.
Serves: I loved serving with this racquet. While there wasn't as much free pop in this frame, there was definitely a gain in control as I was able to hit my spots consistently. I found myself not having to try to hit the flat serve as hard because I was getting such good placement. The spin on this frame was also clearly evident in the kick and slice serves. I was regularly getting big kicks up above the shoulders. And the slice serve out wide was just brutal.
Volleys: This was a bit of a mixed bag for me and one of the weaker aspects of this frame. This frame performs well with volleys when the ball is hit hard. The response is firm but not exactly crisp. This frame also does an amazing job of diffusing and redirecting pace. I was able to hit drop volleys off of aggressive returns with ease. However, if the ball wasn't coming in as quickly, volleys didn't feel as clean. As a person who likes a crisp feel on volleys, that just wasn't there for me on this frame. I also felt the racquet could have been a bit more stable at the net. Either some added stiffness or perhaps some lead at 3/9 might help.
Serve Returns: This was another aspect of this frame that I really enjoyed. Because the power level is on the lower end, I could be aggressive on returns while keeping the ball in play. I think this is partly because this frame likes to have a lot of power coming into it and a lot of power put through it. I hit some of the best backhand returns of my life with this frame because I could really step in and attack rather than feeling like I had to block the ball back or just chip a return. Although, it can chip the return well too.
Power/Control: This is undoubtedly a lower-powered frame. But, unlike the other frames in the line, I feel like this frame finds an ideal balance between the static weight and swing weight to make it an incredibly usable racquet. What I initially thought was more pop in the racquet was actually just the ease of swing and getting the racquet going. That faster swing speed translates to better shots with more depth. Control on this racquet is also top-notch. When you get it going, you can feel the flex in the hoop which makes going after your targets an easy task. I could adjust between hitting zones with big spin or going for small targets with precision.
Top Spin/Slice: The term "spin-friendly" is an apt description of this frame. Heavy topspin was easy to produce with and more noticeable for me on the backhand, where I typically don't see it as much. However, it was not lacking on the forehand as I saw plenty of sharp drops and big bounces. Slice was also incredibly effective with this frame. I was able to keep the ball nice and low while still hitting deep slices that caused a lot of problems for those on the opposite side of the net.
Comfort: There is no question that this racquet was built with comfort in mind. Playing with a full poly setup felt great, and I had no reactions or flare-up in my arm from it. I think there is room to make the racquet just a touch firmer. While full poly felt great in this racquet, I suspect that softer strings might make this racquet feel a bit mushy because it is already so comfortable. I considered using a gut/poly setup in this frame, but I feel like it wouldn't be the right way to go.
Feel: As has been my issue with every iteration of the Gravity that I have tried, I wish this frame were not as muted and allowed more feeling to come through the racquet and to the player. When I initially felt the hoop flex, I got really excited and hopeful that maybe some of that old-school Head feel was going to come through as the strings settled in. But it never showed up. There is still this vagueness to the racquet that is hard for me to get over. So it's a bit of a missed opportunity for me in the feel department. If they brought more feel to this racquet, I could see it challenging the Blade Pro as my main racquet.
Maneuverability: This racquet felt great in the hands and easy to bring into position for any shot. There was just the right amount of plow and whip to be able to hit any groundstroke the way that I wanted to. I particularly appreciated how nimble it felt coming through the court and attacking from the midcourt and further up. At the net, I could easily get it into position and attack the ball how I wanted to.
Stability: Off the ground, I have no issues with the stability of the racquet. However, as I mentioned previously, there was some instability at the net. I think a slightly stiffer layup might help resolve this issue without having to add any additional weight. However, there is a chance that adding lead at 3/9 might resolve that issue. I do wonder if that would compromise the overall swing feel of the frame.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: From a purely impartial standpoint, this is a fantastic offering from Head that I think will appeal to a wide range of players, though it may be targeted slightly more towards big-hitting baseliners. The string pattern is practically perfect. Spin and control are both highlights of this frame, as long as the player can supply the power. The ability to switch modes of play is another noteworthy feature. You don't have to feel tied to one style or the other, because this frame can handle both. The ability to have access to the full range of shots from any part of the court with confidence is another standout attribute. Net performance could be a little bit better, but there may be easy remedies through the application of lead in the hoop. If you are already accustomed to the more muted feel of modern racquets, you won't miss the feedback that this racquet lacks. Honestly, I would rate this racquet as a 9/10 because it really is fantastic.
From my more biased standpoint, as much as I do like this racquet, I feel like Head really missed an opportunity here. With just a slightly stiffer layup, this racquet could be ideal for almost any player. If it were not as muted as it is, players could have more feel in the frame that is sadly missing from most modern frames. Add those two things together, and you would have a sweet-swinging frame with perfect power, more classic feedback/response, and awesome control.
hdjs94
Semi-Pro
Wasabi in the mains at 47lb would definitely contribute to a much more muted feel in this frame. Highly would recommend trying caviar full bed if you want to stay within toroline or even better a crisp silver string (TB, TBHS7T, TS, P7) at a tension in the lower-mid 50s for the GT98 to feel much more crisp and less muted.
ryushen21
Legend
I'll respectfully disagree.
I could go Tour Status/Caviar and it would help some but not bough to overcome the mutedness of the frame.
And I'm not playing any full poly setup over 50 for anything. There's no benefit and I don't hate my arm enough.
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
String and tension used for test:
Multifeel main 50lbs + Prospro black force cross 47lbs
Hawk power main 45lbs + Isospeed cream cross 48lbs
Tennis experience/background:
5 years into tennis. Got most fundamentals looking decent. Playing USTA doubles at bottom 4.0 level.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Alcaraz wannabe. Love varieties. Prefer net play more than baseline at this stage. Usually try to find opportunities to finish points at the net. Can go longer rallies in singles if when necessary, but dislike grinding deep behind baseline whole match. Serve currently is my biggest weapon, along side with aggressive poaching in doubles. At baseline, heavy topspin from both wings comes natural to me. 2handed backhand flatter than forehand.
Current racquet/string setups:
Played mostly Gravity pro (2021 version) during 2023. Aero 98 during 2023-2024, but had to give up because of elbow problem. Weighted Gravity MP (2023 version) for 2024-2025. Most recently Pure Strike 16x20. GMP was great for everything except that I’m looking for a little help defending when being pulled corner to corner. Hence currently playing with PS 100 16x20. Keep in mind this is the group of racquets that most influenced how I feel about the GT98.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
~20 hours total. Roughly 10 hours with multi main and 10 hours with poly main
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
For neutral rally, this GT98 is plug and play. If I’m hitting 70% swing speed to big targets, I feel like I can keep going forever. It boosts my confidence in neutral ball more than any other racquets that I played for the last few years. For defense, it is an improvement compared to GMP due to higher launch angle, easy access to spin and depth. When I try to defend with height and depth, GT98 is excellent. It is an interesting contrast with PS16x20 which also helps in defensive situations by providing free power to mainly redirect incoming pace. When I get pulled wide on the forehand with very low contact point, hooking a banana-ish forehand down the line with GT98 becomes so much easier, night and day compared to Gpro! For offense, it works very well for me behind the baseline when I plant and load the leg to hit heavy topspin to move opponents in singles. Ball just dips in and makes me feel confident cranking up to 80-90% swing speed. For attacking short balls, I do notice higher success rate in down the line put away and passing shots, when I hit a spin-minded forcing shot. more than a few balls that I thought going into the tape cleared the net. All the spray long errors came when I try to drive flat winners, almost no exceptions. For hitting faster balls with less rpms, at my skill level, this racquet is great at baseline when the contact point is relatively low. I think I will eventually be able to flatten out higher balls better with this racquet in a year or two, mostly due to deficiency in my technique.
-Serves:
This is the best racquet for serves among the 15ish racquets that I owned and tested in recent years. I can hit easy spots as well as I do with denser string patterns. As a short righty, I had noticeably more success landing slice to deuce short-angle wide and bombing flat wide to the ad, the two first serves I typically struggle the most. The twist/kick serve action is also unbelievable. The launch angle and the flex seem particularly helpful for me to raise serve percentage. My serve speed is highly influenced by percentage and precision. If I’m hitting my spots and not missing, I can afford to swing harder. The PS does produce faster bombs during casual serve practice, but as soon as I set targets and start counting serve percentage, GT98 gives me the same amount of usable power.
-Volleys:
When I’m hitting volleys stationary during practice, GT98 is as good as PA98, GMP and PS16x20. During match play, GT98 handled reflex volley better than PA98 and Gpro, felt similar to GMP and PS, which is probably quite personal. For touch volley (absorbing pace) and block volley (redirecting pace), GT98 is as good as any racquets. I do need to be careful with high volley. when I catch them late, GT98 sends them long and let me know, but this is something I can adapt to with more time.
-Serve returns:
For returns, I mostly drive or block/redirect on both sides. I usually don’t link my return performance to racquets, unless the racquet is too light, too low powered or the sweet spot is too small. GT98 feels completely normal. Compared to GMP and PS, the only difference on return is this racquet has higher launch angle. I would prefer GT98 for returning in singles and prefer PS for doubles when keeping the ball low is better.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
I personally never liked power racquets and GT98 is right in the comfortable range of power/control for me. Power-wise: PS16x20>GT98>GMP. Control is hard to quantify, highly depending on the shot, the situation, play style. GT98 is a definitely a control racquet. Don’t know how controversial this is, GT98 feels to me like a prettier, louder, spinier Blade. It feels like Head’s attempt to steal Blade users who likes more net clearance.
Top Spin/Slice-
Topspin is excellent. No doubt. To me, it does require certain skill level to flatten out ball trajectory when the contact point is a little higher. How to drive through with high racquet head speed while producing sufficient amount of topspin for margins is not easy for me in some situations.
Backhand slice was the hardest shot for me to dial in during the playtest, believe it or not. My slice technique was developed on 18x20 frames. I didn’t have any problem with slice switching to GMP and PS16x20. The launch angle of GT98 is definitely something I need to practice separately to get used to for my backhand slice.
Comfort-
Definitely a comfortable racquet by any measure. My elbow was screaming at me before this playtest, which is why I spend half of the time with multifilament in the mains. It feels crisper than GMP and Gpro that I own. Shanks are still like “massage” compared to PA98.
Feel-
This is something admittedly I’m not the best person to comment on. I’m just not sensitive to the feel of racquets. I remember I couldn’t feel anything on Vcore Pro 97 VDM. For all my recent racquets, I know where the ball hit the string bed roughly, but that’s about it.
Maneuverability-
In the earlier thread about this racquet, there were a lot of disagreements about the swing weight. I don’t know the swing weight of the GT98 I received. Its static weight is 303g. I suspect its SW is also slightly underspec. My PS16x20 and modified GMP have unstrung SW 290 and 292 respectively. When strung, all three racquets have static weight 325-328g, 4-5 pt head light. All of them feel very maneuverable. The two gravity ones feel slightly more maneuverable than the PS.
Stability-
No problem with stability whatsoever. I had one hour indoor hard court session with a big hitter. Unless I’m on the run or hit off center, stability-maneuverability of the GT98 is at perfect balance to me. 90mph serve is not going to bother this frame if you get the racquet out in front early.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This one is right in my wheelhouse. I love it! The launch angle is the biggest factor shaping up my thoughts in this playtest.
Additional thoughts:
The whistling sound is real, never bothered me a bit. Others did mention that on my serve. To me, it’s almost like an integrated device to check on racquet head speed. In terms of the forgiveness, I seemed to have more mishits with irregular bounce on clay, compare to PS, but didn’t feel any difference on hard courts. I don’t care or comment on paint jobs in most cases, but this one looks darn beautiful!
Multifeel main 50lbs + Prospro black force cross 47lbs
Hawk power main 45lbs + Isospeed cream cross 48lbs
Tennis experience/background:
5 years into tennis. Got most fundamentals looking decent. Playing USTA doubles at bottom 4.0 level.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Alcaraz wannabe. Love varieties. Prefer net play more than baseline at this stage. Usually try to find opportunities to finish points at the net. Can go longer rallies in singles if when necessary, but dislike grinding deep behind baseline whole match. Serve currently is my biggest weapon, along side with aggressive poaching in doubles. At baseline, heavy topspin from both wings comes natural to me. 2handed backhand flatter than forehand.
Current racquet/string setups:
Played mostly Gravity pro (2021 version) during 2023. Aero 98 during 2023-2024, but had to give up because of elbow problem. Weighted Gravity MP (2023 version) for 2024-2025. Most recently Pure Strike 16x20. GMP was great for everything except that I’m looking for a little help defending when being pulled corner to corner. Hence currently playing with PS 100 16x20. Keep in mind this is the group of racquets that most influenced how I feel about the GT98.
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
~20 hours total. Roughly 10 hours with multi main and 10 hours with poly main
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
For neutral rally, this GT98 is plug and play. If I’m hitting 70% swing speed to big targets, I feel like I can keep going forever. It boosts my confidence in neutral ball more than any other racquets that I played for the last few years. For defense, it is an improvement compared to GMP due to higher launch angle, easy access to spin and depth. When I try to defend with height and depth, GT98 is excellent. It is an interesting contrast with PS16x20 which also helps in defensive situations by providing free power to mainly redirect incoming pace. When I get pulled wide on the forehand with very low contact point, hooking a banana-ish forehand down the line with GT98 becomes so much easier, night and day compared to Gpro! For offense, it works very well for me behind the baseline when I plant and load the leg to hit heavy topspin to move opponents in singles. Ball just dips in and makes me feel confident cranking up to 80-90% swing speed. For attacking short balls, I do notice higher success rate in down the line put away and passing shots, when I hit a spin-minded forcing shot. more than a few balls that I thought going into the tape cleared the net. All the spray long errors came when I try to drive flat winners, almost no exceptions. For hitting faster balls with less rpms, at my skill level, this racquet is great at baseline when the contact point is relatively low. I think I will eventually be able to flatten out higher balls better with this racquet in a year or two, mostly due to deficiency in my technique.
-Serves:
This is the best racquet for serves among the 15ish racquets that I owned and tested in recent years. I can hit easy spots as well as I do with denser string patterns. As a short righty, I had noticeably more success landing slice to deuce short-angle wide and bombing flat wide to the ad, the two first serves I typically struggle the most. The twist/kick serve action is also unbelievable. The launch angle and the flex seem particularly helpful for me to raise serve percentage. My serve speed is highly influenced by percentage and precision. If I’m hitting my spots and not missing, I can afford to swing harder. The PS does produce faster bombs during casual serve practice, but as soon as I set targets and start counting serve percentage, GT98 gives me the same amount of usable power.
-Volleys:
When I’m hitting volleys stationary during practice, GT98 is as good as PA98, GMP and PS16x20. During match play, GT98 handled reflex volley better than PA98 and Gpro, felt similar to GMP and PS, which is probably quite personal. For touch volley (absorbing pace) and block volley (redirecting pace), GT98 is as good as any racquets. I do need to be careful with high volley. when I catch them late, GT98 sends them long and let me know, but this is something I can adapt to with more time.
-Serve returns:
For returns, I mostly drive or block/redirect on both sides. I usually don’t link my return performance to racquets, unless the racquet is too light, too low powered or the sweet spot is too small. GT98 feels completely normal. Compared to GMP and PS, the only difference on return is this racquet has higher launch angle. I would prefer GT98 for returning in singles and prefer PS for doubles when keeping the ball low is better.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
I personally never liked power racquets and GT98 is right in the comfortable range of power/control for me. Power-wise: PS16x20>GT98>GMP. Control is hard to quantify, highly depending on the shot, the situation, play style. GT98 is a definitely a control racquet. Don’t know how controversial this is, GT98 feels to me like a prettier, louder, spinier Blade. It feels like Head’s attempt to steal Blade users who likes more net clearance.
Top Spin/Slice-
Topspin is excellent. No doubt. To me, it does require certain skill level to flatten out ball trajectory when the contact point is a little higher. How to drive through with high racquet head speed while producing sufficient amount of topspin for margins is not easy for me in some situations.
Backhand slice was the hardest shot for me to dial in during the playtest, believe it or not. My slice technique was developed on 18x20 frames. I didn’t have any problem with slice switching to GMP and PS16x20. The launch angle of GT98 is definitely something I need to practice separately to get used to for my backhand slice.
Comfort-
Definitely a comfortable racquet by any measure. My elbow was screaming at me before this playtest, which is why I spend half of the time with multifilament in the mains. It feels crisper than GMP and Gpro that I own. Shanks are still like “massage” compared to PA98.
Feel-
This is something admittedly I’m not the best person to comment on. I’m just not sensitive to the feel of racquets. I remember I couldn’t feel anything on Vcore Pro 97 VDM. For all my recent racquets, I know where the ball hit the string bed roughly, but that’s about it.
Maneuverability-
In the earlier thread about this racquet, there were a lot of disagreements about the swing weight. I don’t know the swing weight of the GT98 I received. Its static weight is 303g. I suspect its SW is also slightly underspec. My PS16x20 and modified GMP have unstrung SW 290 and 292 respectively. When strung, all three racquets have static weight 325-328g, 4-5 pt head light. All of them feel very maneuverable. The two gravity ones feel slightly more maneuverable than the PS.
Stability-
No problem with stability whatsoever. I had one hour indoor hard court session with a big hitter. Unless I’m on the run or hit off center, stability-maneuverability of the GT98 is at perfect balance to me. 90mph serve is not going to bother this frame if you get the racquet out in front early.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This one is right in my wheelhouse. I love it! The launch angle is the biggest factor shaping up my thoughts in this playtest.
Additional thoughts:
The whistling sound is real, never bothered me a bit. Others did mention that on my serve. To me, it’s almost like an integrated device to check on racquet head speed. In terms of the forgiveness, I seemed to have more mishits with irregular bounce on clay, compare to PS, but didn’t feel any difference on hard courts. I don’t care or comment on paint jobs in most cases, but this one looks darn beautiful!
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pheonix6579
Professional
Head Gravity Tour 98
String and tension used for test:
Head Hawk Power at 48lbs
Hyper G at 48lbs
Gosen Synthetic Gut at 52lbs
Tennis experience/background:
Been praying for about 25 years. 4.0 singles player that dabbles in doubles occasionally. Coach high and middle school tennis team and string locally.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseline with an emphasis on a big serve +1 strategy. Working on developing more of a net game to increase all court game and doubles abilities. 2HBH and a SW forehand.
Current racquet/string setups:
Yonex Percept 100D, Hyper G at 45-48lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
Over 20 hours: 75% singles,20% doubles, 5% drills/wall hitting.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
The GT98 provides a solid performance on groundstrokes from all areas of the court. Forehands had good pop from the SW heft. I had an easy time keeping them deep. The open string pattern allowed me a decent level of spin access to really go after my shots to keep them in. But to really take advantage of that I had to stay committed to a fast swing speed. The frame really rewarded a fast swing. Backhands also felt solid and came off with a good bit of pop. Slices were nice but did tend to float a bit more, but usually stayed in. The launch angle wasn't crazy high but definitely higher than my percepts. Overall, groundies felt solid and came off with enough weight that my hitting partner did comment a few times on the weight of my ball with this frame vs my usual frames. I will say that this frame gave a strong sense of connection. It definitely ranks toward the top of my list of rackets that truly felt like an extension of my arm and felt easy to use. As compared to my Percept, this frame was a bit hard to control, but has much easier access to spin for smaller angle shots and mid court balls.
-Serves:
This has to be ranked as one of my favorite rackets recently for serving. Hitting my targets became almost point and shoot, especially down the T. Serves were very comfortable with the rackets flex which never irritated my shoulder. The swing weight allowed me to get mice pop on flat serves without having to really muscle the serve much at all. Slice was pretty decent, but kick was crazy good. I could visually see the height on my kick serves improve over my current setup. Really preferred this frame over my Percept in regards to serve. I felt that all of my serves we alot more accessable. Spin and kick were easier to generate and power and control were about equal (even at higher tensions).
-Volleys:
My volleys are hands down the weakest part of my game. However, I actually volleyed extremely well with this frame, probably one of the best volley rackets I've played with in years. Touch was a tad bit muted, but still accessible. I was able to really punch volleys, which felt great coming off the string bed. Even off center hits still we're not jarring.
-Serve returns:
This frame absorbed pace extremely well and made serves returns great. I noticed this especially well on backhand returns. Super stable with a feel of plow through on both wings. Even reflex blocking returns sent the ball deep to help put me in the driver's seat for the point. Not sure that it was better than my Percept 100D, but almost on par with that frame.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was really great. The blend of flex and swing weight seemed to create a great recipe for success in the regard. I didn't have a hard time keeping balls deep towards the baseline or deep in the service box on serve.
With the great access to power, control seemed to suffer a touch. This could be negated with spin, but again you had to commit to your swings. Overall, this frame has a good control element, but it's not its default setting and it's something you have to work a little harder to achieve. Power seems to be the nature of the frame by default.
Top Spin/Slice-
Top spin was really good and was a key component to helping control the power level of this frame. The launch angle was slightly higher than average. I always felt I had easy access to top spin, but it came with a commitment to a fast swing. Toward the end of my matches, when I would be getting tired/lazy, I saw the spin decrease and id see a few more balls going long or wide that were dropping in.
Slice was adequate, but did seem to float a bit more, especially on driving backhand slices. Not sure if this was more me or the frame and how launch angle had an effect or not. Slice serves were decent but not on a level or more spin oriented frames.
Comfort-
Over the last year (maybe 2) my shoulder has had quite the opinion of the rackets that I use. This racket throughout the play test, never once irritates my shoulder to a level of pain. This frame was very comfortable even with mishits my I,and off center shots. Even with 2 setups of full poly I didn't feel and pain during, after, or the next day. Which pretty much might give this racket a spot in my bag for a while.
Feel-
Feel was actually another area that I enjoyed. Muted enough to be comfortable when I am not on my game 100%, but good enough to be rewarded when I am. I felt the ball feel experience to be pretty consistent on all types of shots. Only area I was looking for a bit more feel was on drop shots and touch volleys. Those shots felt a bit muddier than I would have liked, but the rest of the ride was on point.
Maneuverability-
Originally I was skeptical of the maneuverability of this frame due to the weight/swing weight. However I was extremely wrong. This thing moved with ease and authority. This allowed my doubles play to be pretty good. I was able to volley better with this frame than I have with any other frame I have recently hit with. I was able to manipulate the frame to create all kinds of angles and serves. This frame definitely plays a lot lighter than the specs suggest.
Stability-
Another great aspect of this frame. The stability really stood out on volleys and serve returns. Solid with a side of plow through. You could really feel the ball sink into the string bed and you didn't get any major twist in the frame even on off center hits. This really went a long way in encouraging aggressive swings on both wings as the frame plowed through the ball with such a solid feel, especially driving a flat backhand down the line for a winner.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This frame was a joy to play test. I enjoyed it more and more the more I played with it. I was very surprised that I was able to continue playing well with it even after a few hours. Yes my swings got a little slower, but I never got to the point where I felt the frame was dragging my shots down. Very user friendly frame for intermediate or advanced players. It definitely rewards the aggressive swings but performs great overall. Love the paint job, which makes the frame look thinner than it really is.
Stringing this frame is easy and I like the CAP grommets at the top of the frame.
This makes another great offering from Head, which seems to be putting out some great stuff recently. Loved the new Extremes and this Gravity fits the bill of a
great frame.
Thanks TW and Head for the opportunity !
String and tension used for test:
Head Hawk Power at 48lbs
Hyper G at 48lbs
Gosen Synthetic Gut at 52lbs
Tennis experience/background:
Been praying for about 25 years. 4.0 singles player that dabbles in doubles occasionally. Coach high and middle school tennis team and string locally.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Baseline with an emphasis on a big serve +1 strategy. Working on developing more of a net game to increase all court game and doubles abilities. 2HBH and a SW forehand.
Current racquet/string setups:
Yonex Percept 100D, Hyper G at 45-48lbs
How many hours did you play with the racquet?
Over 20 hours: 75% singles,20% doubles, 5% drills/wall hitting.
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
The GT98 provides a solid performance on groundstrokes from all areas of the court. Forehands had good pop from the SW heft. I had an easy time keeping them deep. The open string pattern allowed me a decent level of spin access to really go after my shots to keep them in. But to really take advantage of that I had to stay committed to a fast swing speed. The frame really rewarded a fast swing. Backhands also felt solid and came off with a good bit of pop. Slices were nice but did tend to float a bit more, but usually stayed in. The launch angle wasn't crazy high but definitely higher than my percepts. Overall, groundies felt solid and came off with enough weight that my hitting partner did comment a few times on the weight of my ball with this frame vs my usual frames. I will say that this frame gave a strong sense of connection. It definitely ranks toward the top of my list of rackets that truly felt like an extension of my arm and felt easy to use. As compared to my Percept, this frame was a bit hard to control, but has much easier access to spin for smaller angle shots and mid court balls.
-Serves:
This has to be ranked as one of my favorite rackets recently for serving. Hitting my targets became almost point and shoot, especially down the T. Serves were very comfortable with the rackets flex which never irritated my shoulder. The swing weight allowed me to get mice pop on flat serves without having to really muscle the serve much at all. Slice was pretty decent, but kick was crazy good. I could visually see the height on my kick serves improve over my current setup. Really preferred this frame over my Percept in regards to serve. I felt that all of my serves we alot more accessable. Spin and kick were easier to generate and power and control were about equal (even at higher tensions).
-Volleys:
My volleys are hands down the weakest part of my game. However, I actually volleyed extremely well with this frame, probably one of the best volley rackets I've played with in years. Touch was a tad bit muted, but still accessible. I was able to really punch volleys, which felt great coming off the string bed. Even off center hits still we're not jarring.
-Serve returns:
This frame absorbed pace extremely well and made serves returns great. I noticed this especially well on backhand returns. Super stable with a feel of plow through on both wings. Even reflex blocking returns sent the ball deep to help put me in the driver's seat for the point. Not sure that it was better than my Percept 100D, but almost on par with that frame.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Power was really great. The blend of flex and swing weight seemed to create a great recipe for success in the regard. I didn't have a hard time keeping balls deep towards the baseline or deep in the service box on serve.
With the great access to power, control seemed to suffer a touch. This could be negated with spin, but again you had to commit to your swings. Overall, this frame has a good control element, but it's not its default setting and it's something you have to work a little harder to achieve. Power seems to be the nature of the frame by default.
Top Spin/Slice-
Top spin was really good and was a key component to helping control the power level of this frame. The launch angle was slightly higher than average. I always felt I had easy access to top spin, but it came with a commitment to a fast swing. Toward the end of my matches, when I would be getting tired/lazy, I saw the spin decrease and id see a few more balls going long or wide that were dropping in.
Slice was adequate, but did seem to float a bit more, especially on driving backhand slices. Not sure if this was more me or the frame and how launch angle had an effect or not. Slice serves were decent but not on a level or more spin oriented frames.
Comfort-
Over the last year (maybe 2) my shoulder has had quite the opinion of the rackets that I use. This racket throughout the play test, never once irritates my shoulder to a level of pain. This frame was very comfortable even with mishits my I,and off center shots. Even with 2 setups of full poly I didn't feel and pain during, after, or the next day. Which pretty much might give this racket a spot in my bag for a while.
Feel-
Feel was actually another area that I enjoyed. Muted enough to be comfortable when I am not on my game 100%, but good enough to be rewarded when I am. I felt the ball feel experience to be pretty consistent on all types of shots. Only area I was looking for a bit more feel was on drop shots and touch volleys. Those shots felt a bit muddier than I would have liked, but the rest of the ride was on point.
Maneuverability-
Originally I was skeptical of the maneuverability of this frame due to the weight/swing weight. However I was extremely wrong. This thing moved with ease and authority. This allowed my doubles play to be pretty good. I was able to volley better with this frame than I have with any other frame I have recently hit with. I was able to manipulate the frame to create all kinds of angles and serves. This frame definitely plays a lot lighter than the specs suggest.
Stability-
Another great aspect of this frame. The stability really stood out on volleys and serve returns. Solid with a side of plow through. You could really feel the ball sink into the string bed and you didn't get any major twist in the frame even on off center hits. This really went a long way in encouraging aggressive swings on both wings as the frame plowed through the ball with such a solid feel, especially driving a flat backhand down the line for a winner.
General reaction/comments on overall performance:
This frame was a joy to play test. I enjoyed it more and more the more I played with it. I was very surprised that I was able to continue playing well with it even after a few hours. Yes my swings got a little slower, but I never got to the point where I felt the frame was dragging my shots down. Very user friendly frame for intermediate or advanced players. It definitely rewards the aggressive swings but performs great overall. Love the paint job, which makes the frame look thinner than it really is.
Stringing this frame is easy and I like the CAP grommets at the top of the frame.
This makes another great offering from Head, which seems to be putting out some great stuff recently. Loved the new Extremes and this Gravity fits the bill of a
great frame.
Thanks TW and Head for the opportunity !
@johnmccabe - Nice review man. What does your spidey sense say vs the Strike 100 16x20? Going to stick to the Strike for more forgiveness/consistency on more surfaces? Or otherwise?
johnmccabe
Hall of Fame
Sticking with striker for at least a year. I basically have been slowly migrating towards more and more open string pattern. Currently most comfortable with 16x20. I'm definitely seeing the benefits of GT. As soon as my technique is ready to flatten out forehand consistently with GT, I'll transition into it.
Djinn
Semi-Pro
Racquet: Head Gravity Tour 2025, 4 ¼ grip size.
Specs (unstrung with plastic on handle):
Weight: 304.6 g
Balance: 31.8 cm
Swingweight: 292
Strung Specs + overgrip:
Weight: 327 g
Balance: 32.7 cm
Swingweight: 322
Strung specs with lead ( 1 g each at 3/9 and 3 g at 12) + overgrip:
Weight: 332 g
Balance: 33.0 cm
Swingweight: 336
String and tension used for test: included Head Hawk Power, and Head Lynx Tour 125 both at 45 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: I started playing tennis in high school and was immediately hooked. My competitive nature forced me to improve and I ended up playing intercollegiate tennis in university. I’ve continued to play tennis since then and have always paid meticulous attention to my gear. Over the years I’ve learned to string and customize my own gear and am usually running one test or another at all times.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I like to play an all-court attacking style of tennis. I enjoy dictating play with my serve and forehand to finish points at the net when possible. I use my one-handed backhand and slice to set up points.
Current racquet/string setups: Head Graphene XT XT Speed MP customized to Sinner’s spec; 327g static weight, 33.3 balance, 340 SW; strung with RPM Blast 125. This was just a setup I was curious about. I am waiting for TFight 305S to come back in stock so I can purchase a few of those.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~25 hours so far
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum): I used the original Gravity Pro as my main racquet for about 3 years. It was a great racquet that I enjoyed a lot on serve and with my forehand. The main reason for switching away from it was that I felt rushed on my backhand at times, as that racquet was not very maneuverable and felt sluggish on the backhand side for me. I remember hoping and wishing for a 98 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern after learning that Ash Barty was using a 100 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern. Because of this, I was very excited when the 98 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern came to fruition.
-Forehand: Since I use my forehand as a weapon, I typically look for my racquets to enhance it as much as possible. I’m happy to report that the Gravity Tour did not disappoint in this regard. Preparing early and committing to the shot with a full stroke rewarded me with a deep and heavy ball. This is an advanced player’s racquets; because to generate the type of groundstroke I mentioned earlier, you need to have developed strokes that you prepare early. If you can do that throughout play, the racquet will reward you. I was able to hit my spots with both flat and spin shots. It was, however, easier for me to hit more spin than flat with the Gravity Tour.
-Backhand: Same deal for my one-handed backhand as with the forehand. If I prepared early and took full swings, I was rewarded with deep and heavy balls with good depth and directional control. Most of my slices stayed low and had a zippy bounce, but I did notice some of them floated a bit and sat up. I’m sure this would resolve over time once I get used to the racquet more. The bigger issue I had, unfortunately, was that the Gravity Tour is still not as maneuverable as I would like. Because of this, there were times when I felt rushed on my backhand side, as it is harder to get the racquet moving. It is not as difficult as I remember it being with the Gravity Pro, but it is still not as easy as I would have liked.
-Serves: Although it eventually faded into the background completely, the whistle did not bother me in the slightest. I initially heard it on my groundstrokes as well, but it was most apparent during serves. However, as I mentioned earlier, it did not bother me at all. Another sound that was satisfying was the pop on flat serves. It sounded like a cannon going off. Initially, my serves were going a bit long, but as I got used to the racquet, I did not have many issues with serves. Slice serves had plenty of curve, and kick serves had plenty of jump up and away from my opponent’s strike zone.
-Volleys: During testing, I managed to play a set of doubles to really test out volleys. Because of the maneuverability, I had to always be on my toes, but man, the volleys felt good when I landed them. There was plenty of torsional stability, and the racquet did not twist in my hand awkwardly. Overheads were also sublime. I hit more than a few overheads that bounced over the fence. Overall, really enjoyable.
- Serve returns: Forehand returns were excellent. I was able to direct the ball and keep it deep. I was also able to hit attacking returns on second serves. Backhand returns were slightly lacking as I noticed a slightly high launch and a tendency to sit up after bouncing. I was also slightly late on some backhand returns due to the maneuverability issue that I had.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
The feel was great. Very good power when I was able to take full swings. Serves, volleys, and slices were all good. The launch angle is relatively high, as others have mentioned before. My one small issue was that sometimes my shots landed short. I’m sure this was just because I’m so used to playing with 340 SW that a ~20 point drop would have that effect.
Power/Control- Stock spec felt a bit under powered to me, especially when I wasn’t always able to prepare and take a full swing at the ball. The reason for this is that my shots would land a bit short when I was rushed and had to get the ball back in play. Missing that mass and swingweight made it so those types of shots were landing short. This issue was easily resolved after I added 1 g of lead each at 3/9 and 3 g of lead at 12 (see images). After the customization, I had no problems with power. Control was also above average. I was able to vary depth and control the direction of my shots relatively easily. Going cross-court with the one-handed backhand meant I had to generate a lot of racquet head speed and put in some effort.
Top Spin/Slice- Top spin was top-notch for me. This was also communicated to me by my hitting partners. My top spin shots were heavy, landed deep, near the baseline, and jumped up with plenty of zip. For the most part, both forehand and backhand slices were fantastic. They stayed low over the net and after the bounce. I was able to set up points well by mixing up the pace and spin with my backhand slice. Overall, I was impressed with the amount of topspin I was able to generate with the Gravity Tour.
Comfort- The racquet is very comfortable, and I had no issues at all with stringing with Hawk Power and Lynx Tour at 45 lbs. Even off-center hits did not feel particularly jarring. I would be surprised if I developed any comfort-related issues with the Gravity Tour in the future.
Feel- The racquet feels great and offers good feedback, whether you hit the sweet spot or not. It definitely has a better feel than the Graphene XT Speed MP I was playing with alongside the Gravity Tour. Hitting the sweet spot feels really rewarding, and the racquet makes a thunderous pop sound when you really let one go. Overall, the feel is not too muted or too direct. You feel well connected to the ball on all shots.
Maneuverability- Maneuverability is where most of my criticism lies. At times I had some difficulty getting the racquet going on my one-handed backhand side. As a result, I really had to put in effort if I wanted to hit cross-court. This was magnified when I had faster shots coming at me during serve returns on the backhand side. I could possibly try to remedy this issue with a leather grip to make the racquet more headlight, but I had similar, albeit to a lesser degree, issues in the past with the Gravity Pro that I’m not sure it would be a solution. Additionally, I’m not sure if two-handed backhand players would have similar problems, so I would encourage everyone to try it out for themselves and see how it goes for them.
Stability- The Gravity Tour is very stable even in stock form. I did not feel any awkward twisting in my hand, even on off-center hits. It became even more of a beast once I added lead. I was able to plow through most shots without any stability-related worrying.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: In all honesty, I would have seriously considered the Gravity Tour as a switchable frame for me, especially since I am currently in the market for a new setup. The only slight thing holding me back from committing is the maneuverability issue I have on the backhand side. If you are an advanced player, I would definitely recommend a demo of the Gravity Tour if you are in the market for a new racquet. For me, the Gravity Tour is one of the best racquets in Head’s current lineup. It is a incredible frame, with great feel, power, control, and spin.
Appearance: Let’s face it, most of us care about the looks and fashion of the racquets we use. The painjob on the Gravity Tour is one of my favorite paintjobs. The way the colors blend into each other, the way the colors shift and shine are very appealing to the eye. Let’s not forget it’s glossy as well. I think Head hit it out of the park with this paintjob. See some of the pictures I took below.
Pictures!
Thank you TW and Head for setting up this playtest and allowing me to try out the Gravity Tour!
Specs (unstrung with plastic on handle):
Weight: 304.6 g
Balance: 31.8 cm
Swingweight: 292
Strung Specs + overgrip:
Weight: 327 g
Balance: 32.7 cm
Swingweight: 322
Strung specs with lead ( 1 g each at 3/9 and 3 g at 12) + overgrip:
Weight: 332 g
Balance: 33.0 cm
Swingweight: 336
String and tension used for test: included Head Hawk Power, and Head Lynx Tour 125 both at 45 lbs.
Tennis experience/background: I started playing tennis in high school and was immediately hooked. My competitive nature forced me to improve and I ended up playing intercollegiate tennis in university. I’ve continued to play tennis since then and have always paid meticulous attention to my gear. Over the years I’ve learned to string and customize my own gear and am usually running one test or another at all times.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): I like to play an all-court attacking style of tennis. I enjoy dictating play with my serve and forehand to finish points at the net when possible. I use my one-handed backhand and slice to set up points.
Current racquet/string setups: Head Graphene XT XT Speed MP customized to Sinner’s spec; 327g static weight, 33.3 balance, 340 SW; strung with RPM Blast 125. This was just a setup I was curious about. I am waiting for TFight 305S to come back in stock so I can purchase a few of those.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~25 hours so far
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum): I used the original Gravity Pro as my main racquet for about 3 years. It was a great racquet that I enjoyed a lot on serve and with my forehand. The main reason for switching away from it was that I felt rushed on my backhand at times, as that racquet was not very maneuverable and felt sluggish on the backhand side for me. I remember hoping and wishing for a 98 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern after learning that Ash Barty was using a 100 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern. Because of this, I was very excited when the 98 Gravity with a 16/19 pattern came to fruition.
-Forehand: Since I use my forehand as a weapon, I typically look for my racquets to enhance it as much as possible. I’m happy to report that the Gravity Tour did not disappoint in this regard. Preparing early and committing to the shot with a full stroke rewarded me with a deep and heavy ball. This is an advanced player’s racquets; because to generate the type of groundstroke I mentioned earlier, you need to have developed strokes that you prepare early. If you can do that throughout play, the racquet will reward you. I was able to hit my spots with both flat and spin shots. It was, however, easier for me to hit more spin than flat with the Gravity Tour.
-Backhand: Same deal for my one-handed backhand as with the forehand. If I prepared early and took full swings, I was rewarded with deep and heavy balls with good depth and directional control. Most of my slices stayed low and had a zippy bounce, but I did notice some of them floated a bit and sat up. I’m sure this would resolve over time once I get used to the racquet more. The bigger issue I had, unfortunately, was that the Gravity Tour is still not as maneuverable as I would like. Because of this, there were times when I felt rushed on my backhand side, as it is harder to get the racquet moving. It is not as difficult as I remember it being with the Gravity Pro, but it is still not as easy as I would have liked.
-Serves: Although it eventually faded into the background completely, the whistle did not bother me in the slightest. I initially heard it on my groundstrokes as well, but it was most apparent during serves. However, as I mentioned earlier, it did not bother me at all. Another sound that was satisfying was the pop on flat serves. It sounded like a cannon going off. Initially, my serves were going a bit long, but as I got used to the racquet, I did not have many issues with serves. Slice serves had plenty of curve, and kick serves had plenty of jump up and away from my opponent’s strike zone.
-Volleys: During testing, I managed to play a set of doubles to really test out volleys. Because of the maneuverability, I had to always be on my toes, but man, the volleys felt good when I landed them. There was plenty of torsional stability, and the racquet did not twist in my hand awkwardly. Overheads were also sublime. I hit more than a few overheads that bounced over the fence. Overall, really enjoyable.
- Serve returns: Forehand returns were excellent. I was able to direct the ball and keep it deep. I was also able to hit attacking returns on second serves. Backhand returns were slightly lacking as I noticed a slightly high launch and a tendency to sit up after bouncing. I was also slightly late on some backhand returns due to the maneuverability issue that I had.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
The feel was great. Very good power when I was able to take full swings. Serves, volleys, and slices were all good. The launch angle is relatively high, as others have mentioned before. My one small issue was that sometimes my shots landed short. I’m sure this was just because I’m so used to playing with 340 SW that a ~20 point drop would have that effect.
Power/Control- Stock spec felt a bit under powered to me, especially when I wasn’t always able to prepare and take a full swing at the ball. The reason for this is that my shots would land a bit short when I was rushed and had to get the ball back in play. Missing that mass and swingweight made it so those types of shots were landing short. This issue was easily resolved after I added 1 g of lead each at 3/9 and 3 g of lead at 12 (see images). After the customization, I had no problems with power. Control was also above average. I was able to vary depth and control the direction of my shots relatively easily. Going cross-court with the one-handed backhand meant I had to generate a lot of racquet head speed and put in some effort.
Top Spin/Slice- Top spin was top-notch for me. This was also communicated to me by my hitting partners. My top spin shots were heavy, landed deep, near the baseline, and jumped up with plenty of zip. For the most part, both forehand and backhand slices were fantastic. They stayed low over the net and after the bounce. I was able to set up points well by mixing up the pace and spin with my backhand slice. Overall, I was impressed with the amount of topspin I was able to generate with the Gravity Tour.
Comfort- The racquet is very comfortable, and I had no issues at all with stringing with Hawk Power and Lynx Tour at 45 lbs. Even off-center hits did not feel particularly jarring. I would be surprised if I developed any comfort-related issues with the Gravity Tour in the future.
Feel- The racquet feels great and offers good feedback, whether you hit the sweet spot or not. It definitely has a better feel than the Graphene XT Speed MP I was playing with alongside the Gravity Tour. Hitting the sweet spot feels really rewarding, and the racquet makes a thunderous pop sound when you really let one go. Overall, the feel is not too muted or too direct. You feel well connected to the ball on all shots.
Maneuverability- Maneuverability is where most of my criticism lies. At times I had some difficulty getting the racquet going on my one-handed backhand side. As a result, I really had to put in effort if I wanted to hit cross-court. This was magnified when I had faster shots coming at me during serve returns on the backhand side. I could possibly try to remedy this issue with a leather grip to make the racquet more headlight, but I had similar, albeit to a lesser degree, issues in the past with the Gravity Pro that I’m not sure it would be a solution. Additionally, I’m not sure if two-handed backhand players would have similar problems, so I would encourage everyone to try it out for themselves and see how it goes for them.
Stability- The Gravity Tour is very stable even in stock form. I did not feel any awkward twisting in my hand, even on off-center hits. It became even more of a beast once I added lead. I was able to plow through most shots without any stability-related worrying.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: In all honesty, I would have seriously considered the Gravity Tour as a switchable frame for me, especially since I am currently in the market for a new setup. The only slight thing holding me back from committing is the maneuverability issue I have on the backhand side. If you are an advanced player, I would definitely recommend a demo of the Gravity Tour if you are in the market for a new racquet. For me, the Gravity Tour is one of the best racquets in Head’s current lineup. It is a incredible frame, with great feel, power, control, and spin.
Appearance: Let’s face it, most of us care about the looks and fashion of the racquets we use. The painjob on the Gravity Tour is one of my favorite paintjobs. The way the colors blend into each other, the way the colors shift and shine are very appealing to the eye. Let’s not forget it’s glossy as well. I think Head hit it out of the park with this paintjob. See some of the pictures I took below.
Pictures!
Thank you TW and Head for setting up this playtest and allowing me to try out the Gravity Tour!
ttwarrior1
Hall of Fame
racket seem short for anyone
thenewbig3
Hall of Fame
Did you measure it?
I was camping last week and missed the deadline! But better late than never I hope, sorry TW!
My headline here is: I love this racquet, and feel super fortunate to have been on the playtest. I think I’m switching to it as my main stick. Thanks Head and TW!! Here’s the rest of it:
String and tension used for test:
Pure Rush 18g at 48lb - broke in about 4 hours
Included Hawk Power at 50lb - cut out after about 12 hours
Pure Rush 16g at 50lb - still going strong about 6 hours
Tennis experience/background: grew up playing, a little bit of local junior competition and a lot of high school play, then took a long break and have been back at it semi-seriously for the last two or three years. I’m 36 and on the USTA 4.0/4.5 border now.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): your basic American caveman baseline basher, serve+1 focused and aggressive with big topspin groundstrokes. My main partner is a very fast defensive baseliner so we end up with a lot of long groundstroke exchanges. Have been serving and volleying as a changeup, and trying to be more proactive about closing to the net in general.
Current racquet/string setups:
main racquet is a Head Gravity Pro 2021 (G360+) with Pure Rush 17 @ 46lb
have also recently played with the Diadem Elevate Tour, and taken out demos of fun stuff like the Boom Pro, Extreme Pro, EZone and EZT, Vcore Tour, ATS98, ISO305, and more. to cut to the chase a little early, I liked the GT98 more than any of those, except perhaps my main ‘21 GPro.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 22 hours or more
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
The headline here is: Hell yeah I really enjoyed hitting groundstrokes with this racquet.
The longer story is: the GT98 has a much higher launch angle than I’m used to in my main 18x20 GPro, and tbh it took some adjustment. I’m used to exaggerating my topspin on rally balls and defense to get enough kick, and when I was doing that with this GT at first, it was giving loopy shots that floated and didn’t really penetrate. After I adjusted to drive the ball more, this thing started to sing - and I don’t just mean the whistling noise. the high launch angle gives plenty of net clearance and depth even on a more direct stroke, and it allows for some really wicked groundstrokes. you can whip short angles, roll deep and heavy balls with ease, and flatten out even more for put-aways. I felt incredibly confident going for big big shots and dictating play from the baseline with my forehand. The easy depth and launch angle on the backhand side (my weaker wing) gives me a real boost in reliability, and I actually hit a few short-angle topspin winners off the backhand, which have been rare lately. Drop shots are not really my game, but this racquet feels great, and I pulled out a few really nice little touch shots with it.
I found plenty of power, and it responded better and better the more I went for it. It also felt very stable, and seemed to actually like power coming in too - many of my most memorable shots came at the end of a long groundstroke exchange with gradually increasing shot speed.
I did occasionally spray some deeper than expected, but that happened much more often when I was playing tentative tennis and not committing to my shots.
-Serves:
I don’t have as much to say about this one because it’s quite simple: I loved serving with this racquet. Slices really bit hard, kicks jumped, and I also felt like I got a lot of pop on flat serves. Control was good but maybe not as tight as I’m used to with the GPro, but that’s to be expected. And the added spin-based movement made up for it and more. I also noticed the whistling sound most on serves, if that matters to folks. I think it’s kind of on the border between neutral/cool but ymmv.
-Volleys:
Volleys I’d say were fine, and if there was a weak area it’s probably this. Because of the head shape, which I quite like on groundstrokes, it’s a little less maneuverable than some other racquets out there, and quick-twitch volleys can suffer. I also found it a little launcher than racquets I’m used to. But the feel is generally good, and the stability does help. I don’t know if this is technically a launch angle thing or what, but i felt like it was helpful in picking up low volleys and half-volleys.
-Serve returns:
As with groundstrokes, this thing seems to like pace coming in, so serve returns were very solid, especially off of big flat serves. It’s not super super forgiving, and I dropped some a little short when I mis-timed an opponents second serve or missed the sweet spot on a spinny one, but blocking back big serves was particularly outstanding.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Initially after coming from my GPro this thing felt like a power racquet. Then I hit it next to the EZone 100 - the GT98 is not a power racquet. It will not launch missiles off of an easy swing like that thing and its ilk, but it does have good power potential when you swing big, and depth comes easily. Directional control was solid, especially when you drive with heavy topspin, and I had no issues hitting my spots, especially when taking aggressive full swings. Where it can sometimes spray is if you back off, get slow or lazy. But if you’re committed, on time, and taking real swings it will reward with plenty of power and control.
Top Spin/Slice-
Both big pluses here. Top spin is easy to find with that super open pattern up top, though if you accentuate it the ball can loop or float without doing much damage - sometimes that’s good, when you’re pushed back deep or out of position, but it can also backfire if you take pace off mid rally. It does make it easy to whip short angles off of both wings. Slices were very solid; not the top tier of slicing racquets, but I was able to dig some great side spin, especially fun as a change of pace if you step into the court and cut off a higher backhand with a short angle slice.
Comfort-
Found it quite comfortable, though *knock on wood* I have rarely experienced elbow pain except with some old babolats before I knew how often to restring (a bad combo I don’t recommend). Long sessions on back-to-back days didn’t bother me, and I didn’t find it particularly tiring either.
Feel-
Love the feel of this racquet. I found feedback consistent and reliable, I could always tell when I missed the sweet spot, and when I blew one I knew exactly why. And more importantly, the feel in the sweetspot is addictive. When you get one just right it feels insanely good in an obvious way.
Maneuverability-
I think this is perhaps a drawback for some - the relatively higher swingweight for a 98/305 means it can be a little heftier, especially combined with the unusual tear drop head shape. It didn’t bother me, coming from 315g 100sqin racquet with a tear drop head shape, but I could see how it might feel sluggish relative to the more slender, quicker frames out there.
Stability-
Another big check mark. Found it really stable even totally stock, with no twist or wobble to speak of. It wasn’t quite as much of a brick wall as my GPro redirecting pace, but it handled it as well as any other racquet I’ve hit lately.
Final comments:
As I said at the top, and in case you couldn’t tell from my effervescence throughout, I love this racquet. It hit a lot of the marks that I’m looking for - pop, control, spin, feel. It encourages me to take real swings and not play tight or casual. I might play a little better with some other racquets, especially on an off day, but this one is really really fun. Just some things to note for others: the head shape really is different. I think it works for my swings and spacing, but if you haven’t hit a gravity before it might feel strange. And also, other people have mentioned this and they aren’t kidding: this thing eats strings. I break strings but usually only when I push them longer than I should (or when I get lazy about going to my stringer), but I snapped 18g in like 4 hours, I was pretty surprised. For me, though, it’s a minor drawback in the scheme of things, and I think it plays better with 16g anyway.
All in all, really stoked to have been in this playtest, really appreciate the opportunity to review. Thanks so much, Head and TW!!
My headline here is: I love this racquet, and feel super fortunate to have been on the playtest. I think I’m switching to it as my main stick. Thanks Head and TW!! Here’s the rest of it:
String and tension used for test:
Pure Rush 18g at 48lb - broke in about 4 hours
Included Hawk Power at 50lb - cut out after about 12 hours
Pure Rush 16g at 50lb - still going strong about 6 hours
Tennis experience/background: grew up playing, a little bit of local junior competition and a lot of high school play, then took a long break and have been back at it semi-seriously for the last two or three years. I’m 36 and on the USTA 4.0/4.5 border now.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): your basic American caveman baseline basher, serve+1 focused and aggressive with big topspin groundstrokes. My main partner is a very fast defensive baseliner so we end up with a lot of long groundstroke exchanges. Have been serving and volleying as a changeup, and trying to be more proactive about closing to the net in general.
Current racquet/string setups:
main racquet is a Head Gravity Pro 2021 (G360+) with Pure Rush 17 @ 46lb
have also recently played with the Diadem Elevate Tour, and taken out demos of fun stuff like the Boom Pro, Extreme Pro, EZone and EZT, Vcore Tour, ATS98, ISO305, and more. to cut to the chase a little early, I liked the GT98 more than any of those, except perhaps my main ‘21 GPro.
How many hours did you play with the racquet? 22 hours or more
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
The headline here is: Hell yeah I really enjoyed hitting groundstrokes with this racquet.
The longer story is: the GT98 has a much higher launch angle than I’m used to in my main 18x20 GPro, and tbh it took some adjustment. I’m used to exaggerating my topspin on rally balls and defense to get enough kick, and when I was doing that with this GT at first, it was giving loopy shots that floated and didn’t really penetrate. After I adjusted to drive the ball more, this thing started to sing - and I don’t just mean the whistling noise. the high launch angle gives plenty of net clearance and depth even on a more direct stroke, and it allows for some really wicked groundstrokes. you can whip short angles, roll deep and heavy balls with ease, and flatten out even more for put-aways. I felt incredibly confident going for big big shots and dictating play from the baseline with my forehand. The easy depth and launch angle on the backhand side (my weaker wing) gives me a real boost in reliability, and I actually hit a few short-angle topspin winners off the backhand, which have been rare lately. Drop shots are not really my game, but this racquet feels great, and I pulled out a few really nice little touch shots with it.
I found plenty of power, and it responded better and better the more I went for it. It also felt very stable, and seemed to actually like power coming in too - many of my most memorable shots came at the end of a long groundstroke exchange with gradually increasing shot speed.
I did occasionally spray some deeper than expected, but that happened much more often when I was playing tentative tennis and not committing to my shots.
-Serves:
I don’t have as much to say about this one because it’s quite simple: I loved serving with this racquet. Slices really bit hard, kicks jumped, and I also felt like I got a lot of pop on flat serves. Control was good but maybe not as tight as I’m used to with the GPro, but that’s to be expected. And the added spin-based movement made up for it and more. I also noticed the whistling sound most on serves, if that matters to folks. I think it’s kind of on the border between neutral/cool but ymmv.
-Volleys:
Volleys I’d say were fine, and if there was a weak area it’s probably this. Because of the head shape, which I quite like on groundstrokes, it’s a little less maneuverable than some other racquets out there, and quick-twitch volleys can suffer. I also found it a little launcher than racquets I’m used to. But the feel is generally good, and the stability does help. I don’t know if this is technically a launch angle thing or what, but i felt like it was helpful in picking up low volleys and half-volleys.
-Serve returns:
As with groundstrokes, this thing seems to like pace coming in, so serve returns were very solid, especially off of big flat serves. It’s not super super forgiving, and I dropped some a little short when I mis-timed an opponents second serve or missed the sweet spot on a spinny one, but blocking back big serves was particularly outstanding.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Initially after coming from my GPro this thing felt like a power racquet. Then I hit it next to the EZone 100 - the GT98 is not a power racquet. It will not launch missiles off of an easy swing like that thing and its ilk, but it does have good power potential when you swing big, and depth comes easily. Directional control was solid, especially when you drive with heavy topspin, and I had no issues hitting my spots, especially when taking aggressive full swings. Where it can sometimes spray is if you back off, get slow or lazy. But if you’re committed, on time, and taking real swings it will reward with plenty of power and control.
Top Spin/Slice-
Both big pluses here. Top spin is easy to find with that super open pattern up top, though if you accentuate it the ball can loop or float without doing much damage - sometimes that’s good, when you’re pushed back deep or out of position, but it can also backfire if you take pace off mid rally. It does make it easy to whip short angles off of both wings. Slices were very solid; not the top tier of slicing racquets, but I was able to dig some great side spin, especially fun as a change of pace if you step into the court and cut off a higher backhand with a short angle slice.
Comfort-
Found it quite comfortable, though *knock on wood* I have rarely experienced elbow pain except with some old babolats before I knew how often to restring (a bad combo I don’t recommend). Long sessions on back-to-back days didn’t bother me, and I didn’t find it particularly tiring either.
Feel-
Love the feel of this racquet. I found feedback consistent and reliable, I could always tell when I missed the sweet spot, and when I blew one I knew exactly why. And more importantly, the feel in the sweetspot is addictive. When you get one just right it feels insanely good in an obvious way.
Maneuverability-
I think this is perhaps a drawback for some - the relatively higher swingweight for a 98/305 means it can be a little heftier, especially combined with the unusual tear drop head shape. It didn’t bother me, coming from 315g 100sqin racquet with a tear drop head shape, but I could see how it might feel sluggish relative to the more slender, quicker frames out there.
Stability-
Another big check mark. Found it really stable even totally stock, with no twist or wobble to speak of. It wasn’t quite as much of a brick wall as my GPro redirecting pace, but it handled it as well as any other racquet I’ve hit lately.
Final comments:
As I said at the top, and in case you couldn’t tell from my effervescence throughout, I love this racquet. It hit a lot of the marks that I’m looking for - pop, control, spin, feel. It encourages me to take real swings and not play tight or casual. I might play a little better with some other racquets, especially on an off day, but this one is really really fun. Just some things to note for others: the head shape really is different. I think it works for my swings and spacing, but if you haven’t hit a gravity before it might feel strange. And also, other people have mentioned this and they aren’t kidding: this thing eats strings. I break strings but usually only when I push them longer than I should (or when I get lazy about going to my stringer), but I snapped 18g in like 4 hours, I was pretty surprised. For me, though, it’s a minor drawback in the scheme of things, and I think it plays better with 16g anyway.
All in all, really stoked to have been in this playtest, really appreciate the opportunity to review. Thanks so much, Head and TW!!
Tmano
Hall of Fame
Hi all,
so i had to seat back for a little more than a week for some back issue and since for the last couple of days i felt good i went out and some with a friend and man the racquet felt completely different, almost like a toy. It was so weird !!! i did strung it with head rip control and i'm almost positive it has something to do on how it plays now but it felt very anemic.
Did anyone had similar issues?
Also when during the play test the racquets felt a bit sluggish and wished it was more head light now feels great almost too whippy. Is rip control much lighter tha velocity power?
so i had to seat back for a little more than a week for some back issue and since for the last couple of days i felt good i went out and some with a friend and man the racquet felt completely different, almost like a toy. It was so weird !!! i did strung it with head rip control and i'm almost positive it has something to do on how it plays now but it felt very anemic.
Did anyone had similar issues?
Also when during the play test the racquets felt a bit sluggish and wished it was more head light now feels great almost too whippy. Is rip control much lighter tha velocity power?
Coming in late on this due to a personal emergency. @TWStaff thank you for allowing me an extension on the review and for selecting me as a participant!
String and tension used for test: ALU Power 125 @ 47#, Head Hawk Power @ 47#, and Head Hawk Tour rPET @ 47#
Tennis experience/background: Played in college. Coached full time for 7 years and still do a bit on the side now. Bounced around between 4.5 and 5.0 league and was just told that I cannot appeal down to 4.5 anymore but neither am in good enough shape nor have a bedtime that allows me to play 5.0 league that only ever starts at 9:30 pm.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Wilson Blade 98 16x19 with ALU Power 125 @ 47#
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~10
Specs strung with OG: 328g/33.1cm/325sw
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This is where the GT98 shines the most for me. The teardrop shape does make the racquet feel a bit sluggish and draggy coming from a Blade at the same swingweight (even when I matched specs to my 32.3cm balance and higher static weight, I felt this), but at the same time, there is greater stability and a more forgiving sweet spot than the blade 98. Spin was very accessible due to the super open pattern, and the flexy beam complemented the spin access and feeling of mass in the upper half of the hoop well by keeping me connected to what was going on. Sometimes with frames that can add a little extra, things will get slappy or out of control. While that did happen to a slight degree, the connection to the ball abated a large degree of times where I’d feel out of control with something like a Pure Drive or Extreme MP. Really quite a pleasant experience where the ball comes off with a bit extra, and I feel in control of just how much extra there is. As long as I stay on the gas, I’m all set.
-Serves: Not a power machine, and it’s slightly sluggish overhead in stock form. However, the spin on serve was addictive. Lots of movement on tap, and I could really feel the strings digging into the ball and spitting it out with rotation. The loud THWAP off a flatter serve feels so satisfying. Accuracy wasn’t as pinpoint as my blades, but it was good enough, and the increase in spin and ease of which I could apply it was welcomed. Is it like serving with a pure drive or ezone? No. Is it plenty capable holding its own? Absolutely. Really no complaints here apart from the slight sense of slowness in stock form. I will note that after adding weight to get this matched to my blade specs, I had effectively zero issues on serve.
-Volleys: Probably the place the GT98 stood out the most (groundstrokes it shines, and volleys, the experience stood out). I personally do not like volleying with this racquet. When I catch it clean, it’s so smooth and stable and accurate. I can soften and kill the ball for a drop volley and can knife transition volleys deep in the court and hit targets with ease. However, when moving, rushed, or tired, the wide top half of the hoop seemed to really hamper me. I will admit that I’m not a natural volleyer, and though I’ve cleaned up my technique and increased my confidence on volleys in my time as a coach, this part of my game is sensitive to equipment changes, and I definitely felt SLOW on more balls than I’d prefer to. Feel is great, directional control is great. Just a little too hard to maneuver in tight moments and when moving/hustling to balls.
-Serve returns: Not much wrong here. Catch the ball clean, and it goes as it should. The larger sweetspot made even some of the more difficult stretched and jammed returns a bit more comfortable, and I felt like I was able to get the ball deeper in the court more often on them. My return is one of the strongest parts of my game, and this frame would definitely help me out here, especially as I get older.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control - I found a pleasant balance of power and control. It’s got a bit more inherent power and lift on the ball than a Blade 98, but it’s not so heavy on raw ball speed like a PA98 or Ezone 98. The thinner beam and flexible, plush layup allows for deep connection to the ball as well which increases confidence in control for me.
Top Spin/Slice - Lots of spin access on tap for both slice and topspin. Slices knifed low through the court when executed correctly, and I was able to get many balls dipping inside the lines with less effort than with my blades.
Comfort - Zero issues to report. The forgiving sweet spot and flexible layup provide enough forgiveness, dampening, and smoothness for this to be a suitable look for any players concerned about arm health.
Feel - This feels like old school Head racquets feel but without the mushiness and small sweetspot that usually comes with their small heads, dense patterns, and thin beams. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic prestige. And now I can have some ease of use with similar feel.
Maneuverability - This is the main area of concern for me. The teardrop headshape is a significant adjustment for me coming from narrower, more aerodynamic racquets. That said, this improved when I put the racquet at my preferred specs, and I do think I could adjust in time. If you’re used to the headshape and/or have the patience to stick out the transition period, it’s probably worth it!
Stability - No issues. Even at the lower static weight and modest but not insignificant swingweight, I found zero problems with stability. Makes sense given the wide hoop and thoughtfully engineered layup from Head.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I really don’t have very many negatives to say about this racquet. It’s a bit clunky at first, and I do think I could adjust to it in time. Just takes awhile to rewire years of expectations for how a swing feels with a blade or non-teardrop shaped frame. Other than that and string life (I broke strings 6 times through the testing period), this is a well-balanced frame that gives the control and feel seeking player a bit easier access to depth and spin than something like a blade or Gravity Pro, and it gives a more explosive player loads of feel and comfort while not compromising too much on power and spin. If you’re a 4.0+ player used to control-based racquets, give this a try! It’s not for everybody, but it should be enjoyable for just about all of us!
String and tension used for test: ALU Power 125 @ 47#, Head Hawk Power @ 47#, and Head Hawk Tour rPET @ 47#
Tennis experience/background: Played in college. Coached full time for 7 years and still do a bit on the side now. Bounced around between 4.5 and 5.0 league and was just told that I cannot appeal down to 4.5 anymore but neither am in good enough shape nor have a bedtime that allows me to play 5.0 league that only ever starts at 9:30 pm.
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley): Aggressive baseliner
Current racquet/string setups: Wilson Blade 98 16x19 with ALU Power 125 @ 47#
How many hours did you play with the racquet? ~10
Specs strung with OG: 328g/33.1cm/325sw
Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes: This is where the GT98 shines the most for me. The teardrop shape does make the racquet feel a bit sluggish and draggy coming from a Blade at the same swingweight (even when I matched specs to my 32.3cm balance and higher static weight, I felt this), but at the same time, there is greater stability and a more forgiving sweet spot than the blade 98. Spin was very accessible due to the super open pattern, and the flexy beam complemented the spin access and feeling of mass in the upper half of the hoop well by keeping me connected to what was going on. Sometimes with frames that can add a little extra, things will get slappy or out of control. While that did happen to a slight degree, the connection to the ball abated a large degree of times where I’d feel out of control with something like a Pure Drive or Extreme MP. Really quite a pleasant experience where the ball comes off with a bit extra, and I feel in control of just how much extra there is. As long as I stay on the gas, I’m all set.
-Serves: Not a power machine, and it’s slightly sluggish overhead in stock form. However, the spin on serve was addictive. Lots of movement on tap, and I could really feel the strings digging into the ball and spitting it out with rotation. The loud THWAP off a flatter serve feels so satisfying. Accuracy wasn’t as pinpoint as my blades, but it was good enough, and the increase in spin and ease of which I could apply it was welcomed. Is it like serving with a pure drive or ezone? No. Is it plenty capable holding its own? Absolutely. Really no complaints here apart from the slight sense of slowness in stock form. I will note that after adding weight to get this matched to my blade specs, I had effectively zero issues on serve.
-Volleys: Probably the place the GT98 stood out the most (groundstrokes it shines, and volleys, the experience stood out). I personally do not like volleying with this racquet. When I catch it clean, it’s so smooth and stable and accurate. I can soften and kill the ball for a drop volley and can knife transition volleys deep in the court and hit targets with ease. However, when moving, rushed, or tired, the wide top half of the hoop seemed to really hamper me. I will admit that I’m not a natural volleyer, and though I’ve cleaned up my technique and increased my confidence on volleys in my time as a coach, this part of my game is sensitive to equipment changes, and I definitely felt SLOW on more balls than I’d prefer to. Feel is great, directional control is great. Just a little too hard to maneuver in tight moments and when moving/hustling to balls.
-Serve returns: Not much wrong here. Catch the ball clean, and it goes as it should. The larger sweetspot made even some of the more difficult stretched and jammed returns a bit more comfortable, and I felt like I was able to get the ball deeper in the court more often on them. My return is one of the strongest parts of my game, and this frame would definitely help me out here, especially as I get older.
Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control - I found a pleasant balance of power and control. It’s got a bit more inherent power and lift on the ball than a Blade 98, but it’s not so heavy on raw ball speed like a PA98 or Ezone 98. The thinner beam and flexible, plush layup allows for deep connection to the ball as well which increases confidence in control for me.
Top Spin/Slice - Lots of spin access on tap for both slice and topspin. Slices knifed low through the court when executed correctly, and I was able to get many balls dipping inside the lines with less effort than with my blades.
Comfort - Zero issues to report. The forgiving sweet spot and flexible layup provide enough forgiveness, dampening, and smoothness for this to be a suitable look for any players concerned about arm health.
Feel - This feels like old school Head racquets feel but without the mushiness and small sweetspot that usually comes with their small heads, dense patterns, and thin beams. Don’t get me wrong, I love a classic prestige. And now I can have some ease of use with similar feel.
Maneuverability - This is the main area of concern for me. The teardrop headshape is a significant adjustment for me coming from narrower, more aerodynamic racquets. That said, this improved when I put the racquet at my preferred specs, and I do think I could adjust in time. If you’re used to the headshape and/or have the patience to stick out the transition period, it’s probably worth it!
Stability - No issues. Even at the lower static weight and modest but not insignificant swingweight, I found zero problems with stability. Makes sense given the wide hoop and thoughtfully engineered layup from Head.
General reaction/comments on overall performance: I really don’t have very many negatives to say about this racquet. It’s a bit clunky at first, and I do think I could adjust to it in time. Just takes awhile to rewire years of expectations for how a swing feels with a blade or non-teardrop shaped frame. Other than that and string life (I broke strings 6 times through the testing period), this is a well-balanced frame that gives the control and feel seeking player a bit easier access to depth and spin than something like a blade or Gravity Pro, and it gives a more explosive player loads of feel and comfort while not compromising too much on power and spin. If you’re a 4.0+ player used to control-based racquets, give this a try! It’s not for everybody, but it should be enjoyable for just about all of us!
Try it with widely placed lead at the top, that's why the bumper guard is so wide. It totally calms down the response from the open pattern in the upper hoop, no more launch etc. It absolutely needs lead, 335sw with 1.30 is great, easy depth but still easy enough to insert pace, at 340sw it becomes slow. Volleys become great, wide serves on both sides also, since it's torsionally stable, has open pattern and a wide hoop. Very irritating whistle though, and a bit mushy feel
Tmano
Hall of Fame
I will try some weight and i will go back to Velocity power to see it helps. I think rip control is just too soft for this racquet
Does anyone have an explanation for me: why do they always pick testers of a higher level? what about intermediate players? how do they get an idea of how good a racket is for them? it's also true that an intermediate player 3.5 to 4 does not maybe have the capacity of giving a full review of a racket as i think the feel of a racket comes also with experience and technique.
SirCraigoryy
Semi-Pro
I think selection for playtests is a combination of player ability and forum activity. TW may also send more rackets to players of certain levels on playtests depending on who the designated market is for that frame.
On the other hand I think the vast majority of people on this forum are between 3.5-4.5. I self rate myself as a high 3.5 to low 4.0 and I’ve been on 1 string playtest and 2 racket playtests (including this one specifically) so far where my reviews have been received quite well by other posters so I’m not quite sure what you mean.
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you playtested gravity tour? i would be interested in reading your review: i live in Kenya where i can't buy any racket, so, when someone travels, i can purchase one but without any clue how does the racket actually feel and plays in my hands. As i myself rate myself 3.5 higher or lower 4, i would be really interested in your play test review
SirCraigoryy
Semi-Pro
Yes I did! Mine is post #120 on this thread and I’d be happy to help with any questions you have to the best of my ability.
Hello there, if most people say that you must get your swing right and fast with this racket, why do you say that with it you have to swing slower? i am just trying to get the idea. thanks.
Solid review that I agree with!!
I read it a while back, have played the GT98 for 4 months and it matches my experience. I am an ntrp 4.0 with ohbh and play mostly aggressive doubles
I think this racket plays best with all poly to help limit the launchiness and improve consistency when RHS is not high or when you make contact in various parts of the stringbed. I think due to the soft flex most people will feel zero discomfort with all poly, but I really enjoy the fell of a gut main hybrid due to past arm issues so I am moving on from GT98 and selling them on tw forum.
I am playing with my prior rackets that cause me zero arm issues: Percept97 (a little demanding) and Vcore98 (must spin everything to control) but also trying WOv2 new Speed Tour 97 and eventually new Vcore98.
pheonix6579
Professional
Don't think I said you had to swing it slower, it's just with the increased weight over time my arm got tired and that caused my swings to eventually slow down. You definitely need to keep your foot on the gas with this frame to get the full benefit.
That seems high as the static unstrung weight on that is supposed to be 305g. With my 16x19 305 GT98 sticks that were checked upon purchase to be 305g, adding an overgrip, dampener and 17g strings brings it to 328g static weight. If you have thick strings and more of them I still don't think it would get to 338g unless it is a little overspec....which many are.
Spielgame
Hall of Fame
That is a mystery, because the racquet does have the "Gravity Tour" written on it, and it's not Gravity Pro.
Maybe they got it mixed up in the factory and they printed "Tour" instead of "Pro" on the racquet?
I read that Gravity Pro strung weight is 11.7 oz and my friend's Gravity Tour is 11.9 oz !
sorry to be coming back, but isn't it true of every time you play a match? as soon as my mind isn't there as it should, as soon as my attention wavers one bit, or my energy level drops, so does the score. I am asking this because i bought this racket and it's arriving end of month because of where i live i can only buy by proxy from people in europe. I have been really desiring this racket, but now with these reviews, i hope it will be fine by me. Tennisnerd says this racket is liked by everyone from older to younger intermediate to advanced. if the swing has to be fast (meaning a good swing) then i would have made a wrong purchase.
the weight to me is always a mistery. my 2023 gravity MP strung is 327 grams
The best way to check racket specs is to take all the measures unstrung.
If it is second hand and you suspect something is off I would spend the $20 to buy a replacement grip and new grommet set and take the used ones off and check buttcap. Prior owner may have added weight under any of those.
