Tennis Warehouse Playtest: Head Speed Tour 2026

TW Staff

Administrator
Attention Talk Tennis Members:

Chugging along, we have a limited number of Head Speed Tour 2026 racquets for playtesting. This playtest is open to USA Talk Tennis members only.

VERY IMPORTANT: Playtesters will be required to get their test racquet strung. Each racquet will be shipped with two sets of strings. We have two grip sizes available - grip 2 and grip 3.

To apply, please send an email to discussadmin@tennis-warehouse.com with the following information:

Application period closed. Selected participants will be notified via email by Friday, February 20 by 5 pm PST.

We have a very limited quantity of racquets to playtest. We select playtesters based on a number of factors, including message board participation and performance on past playtests.

Your review is due by March 27th by 5 PM PST.

Posting a full review by the deadline is necessary to remain in good standing for future playtests. Reviews lacking sufficient effort will resort in disqualification from the playtest program.

Include the following in your review:

String and tension used for test:
Tennis experience/background:
Describe your playing style (i.e. serve & volley):
Current racquet/string setups:
How many hours did you play with the racquet?

Comments on racquet performance for each stroke (each section should be 3-5 sentences minimum):
-Groundstrokes:
-Serves:
-Volleys:
-Serve returns:

Comments on racquet performance in each area (should be 2-3 sentences minimum)
Power/Control-
Top Spin/Slice-
Comfort-
Feel-
Maneuverability-
Stability-

General reaction/comments on overall performance:

Thanks,
TW Staff

We will delete “request sent” emails, but encourage a lively “pre-game” discussion on the racquets.

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What we look for in a playtester:

1) A user that is in good standing - no excess warnings on Talk Tennis
2) A user that is participating on the forum- we look for a participant that is actively participating/posting on the forum on a weekly basis and has at least 100 posts (although we do make exceptions)
3) A user that is participating in threads on the racquet forum and bonus points if it is in threads that are related to the racquet being playtested
4) Participation in a string playtest- we offer monthly string playtests that are much easier to get into. If you show great effort there, it will standout for the next racquet/shoe playtest
5) if you have playtested a racquet/shoe in the past- we look for good effort in the comments, turning in your review on time and actively participating in the thread throughout the playtest

We do try to spread the wealth, if you have participated in either a racquet/shoe playtest within the year, chances are you won't be selected for a racquet/shoe playtest (we do make an exception to the rule if we see a user that stands out, doesn't happen often). Each playtest contains a mix of users that haven't participated in a playtest before, users that haven't been selected in over a year and users that show exceptional effort in recent string playtests.
 
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Oooh so excited about this stick. I've been using a Pro Staff 97 for awhile but I'm just wanting a little bit more from this kind of flat beamed racquet!!
 
Good luck to everyone on this one!

I was initially intrigued, but am holding off in favor of more effective face area, which has never been at more of a premium.

That said, should still be a good addition to the Speed silo, competitively for 4.5-5.0+'s, and/or those who simply love a good heritage-style hit with something less arm-jarring.

Will be keenly following people's feedback!
 
Currently love my speed pro 2024s and I enjoyed the GT98 so I'd love to see how these compare. I've only heard good things about it
 
Demo'd the GT98 yesterday; liked the Gravity's feel but wanted a bit more consistent punch and less arc. VCORE 98 was better for this, but a smaller Speed seems really interesting too.
 
Split between this and the new Aero 98. Both totally my jam but I think the Speed Tour should be a bit more connected.
 
On paper the Head Speed Tour is everything I’d want in a stock racket, if the swing weight can be managed for a whippy swing this might be my holy grail.

I was very happy with the VCore 98 2026 but my nitpicks are I wish it had just a little more swing weight and stability, and every Head Speed racket I’ve ever tried has been absolutely dreamy for stability.
 
Throwing my hat in the ring for this one. I’ve always yearned for a Speed that’s more maneuverable and open than the 18x20 Pro and tighter and heavier than the 16x19 MP.

Ideal specs would have been 310g static, 98”, 16x20. But I’ll take a 305g, 97” 16x19 and see how it plays! Head needs a win, stat.
 
I've never been more excited for a playtest! I think this might just be the perfect racket for me. I started out using a Percept 97H and absolutely loved it, but it was way too heavy in longer matches. Then, for the past few years, I've played with the Head Speed MP. While I do really enjoy it, I think this new frame will be the best of both worlds. Fingers crossed, I get a play test!
 
Yes. Will likely be released around August. Not clear on any physical changes to the frames, but I'm sure it will have Hy-Bor.
Technologies include Hy-Bor, which integrates compression-resistant boron fibers into the shaft for a more stable and connected feel through impact.

I haven't hit with a 97 since Yonex Vcore 97.
 
Love to be on the play test, but will be watching the thread regardless. The frame feels right in line with what I like so I'm interested to hear everyone's takes
 
I’ve hit with a friend’s HST and it was really, really nice. Similar to the Blade but whippier. If you are a solid ball striker who has a foot in the past, this may appeal to you.
 
Oh man - I am thinking this racquet might be the replacement for my Prestige... players frame with some added pop with the thicker beam. I have yet to try the new Hybor tech... this one is def on my radar. I will be curious to see how it plays vs my Boom Pro... I think this might be "the one" in 2026 for me :)
 
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I am *very* curious about this one! I was a Speed Pro auxetic user, then a Gravity Tour 100 user, and somewhat accidentally fell into getting my hands on (and switching to) an APDO. That made me curious to test PA98, which I switched to. But I still use Speed MP 2019 as my backup (and sometimes doubles) racket. My gamestyle is poor-man's-Andy-Murray, so Im very curious about anything from Head...
 
Good luck to those that apply. The Speed line for me has always been one that I could never gel with, tried various models and generations. Something always never did click for me.
 
This one will be a good one. I have demoed this racquet and it is a suitable Blade replacement.

Reading the description and looking at the specs, I'm excited to see about this one.

Then, I scroll down and see this as the first comment. As a Blade user primarily, now, I'm really intrigued.

Only concern, if you can call it that, is the head size. I played with a 95 before moving to use the 100 primarily. However, my game has improved a lot over the last few years, so a 97 could be lethal.
 
Very interested to see how the Tour performs. Have bounced between MPs and Pros and sounds like this one splits the difference nicely!
 
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I think this should be demoed by a lot of different types of tennis players. Obviously it is directed to the old heads who want a little more oomph without moving into the 100” territory. The thicker beam on the HST accomplishes just that. I didn’t find the sweetspot to be too small. Plenty of spin. Just a winner.
 
I also loved the GT98, just wished it had a slightly less open string pattern. Let’s see how the Speed Tour plays out.
this is basically me as well. Currently testing out a speed mp and has the same problem as the Gt98 is great at everything but the flatter rally ending shots inside the court. Which I really need for my aggressive game. Maybe might solve my problem otherwise im just going to settle with my Ezone 98
 
Just like many others have said, I'm very excited about this! My last 4 racquets have been the Head Speed MP 2024, Head Speed MP 2022, Speed Pro 2022, Blade 100v9 and Blade 98v8. I do not sign up casually for playtests, but I've been a Head fan since my junior days. The Head Speed Tour is getting great pre-release buzz from the threads, and it seems to have specs that are right in the sweet spot of what I'm targeting. I have been working on my game, gradually adding weight to my current racquets, and I think I'm ready to move towards a higher native swing weight, solid feel, and player's level of control.
 
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I put in for the play test.
I’m still trying to find that new frame that replaces my xtcs. Interested to measure the stability some on YouTube claims this has.

Also interested to see how the Hybor adds that feel from a very muted auxetic layup.
 
I never knew about the opportunity to play test on TW until now. Super excited in applying for many more future play test opportunities! Wonder how the new Speed Tour compares to the MP and Pro lines. Keep up the great work TW!
 
I never knew about the opportunity to play test on TW until now. Super excited in applying for many more future play test opportunities! Wonder how the new Speed Tour compares to the MP and Pro lines. Keep up the great work TW!
Haha I just applied this morning. I hope I wasn’t too late.
 
How many pounds should I drop in tension going from the 100 square inch MP to the 97 square inch Tour? I usually string at 52 lbs
 
Put in for those one too. The nice spin and whippy feel in a smaller precise headsize sounds very appealing. Not to mention how nice the paintjob looks!
 
Interesting how it’s 97”. Lots of positive feedback from the online reviewers. Sounded like it’s a control racket with noticeable power & stability, which I guess makes it a competitor to Ezone 98 and Pure Drive 98. Looks really nice.
 
Just did the PA98 one so best of luck to everyone. Never clicked with any of the recent Speeds so I’m definitely not the right person
 
Interesting how it’s 97”. Lots of positive feedback from the online reviewers. Sounded like it’s a control racket with noticeable power & stability, which I guess makes it a competitor to Ezone 98 and Pure Drive 98. Looks really nice.

I'm not expecting anything like an EZone or Pure Drive. From what I've seen everywhere it seems like more a competitor to the Blade or the Percept. I think it's definitely a soft control racket like the Blade, and doesn't seem to have the power levels of other Head frames like the Boom or Extreme. But that's why we're up for this playtest I guess -- to see for ourselves!
 
I'm not expecting anything like an EZone or Pure Drive. From what I've seen everywhere it seems like more a competitor to the Blade or the Percept. I think it's definitely a soft control racket like the Blade, and doesn't seem to have the power levels of other Head frames like the Boom or Extreme. But that's why we're up for this playtest I guess -- to see for ourselves!
I agree, and I couldn't be more excited to try it
 
I’m looking forward to following this one. I never really loved the MP or Pro but I am intrigued in how the 97 will play.
 
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