Round-up review: our score and verdict are based on published specs and reviews from across the web, not our own play-testing yet.
Head’s Radical MP 2025 is the control frame for intermediate and advanced players who build points rather than blast them. Auxetic 2.0 now sits in the handle as well as the yoke. Head pitches it against the Blade 98 16×19, the Pure Strike 98 and Dunlop’s CX 200, and Tennisnerd’s reviewer, a six-month Radical MP tournament user, rates that a fair fight.
Control you can swing at
The appeal is confidence. Tennisnerd’s reviewer felt at home from the first ball and says the frame lets him swing faster without fear of hitting long, which more powerful 98s don’t. The 323 swingweight, RA 66 and 318 g strung weight give better stability than the spec suggests, and the 2025 layup makes the sweet spot feel slightly larger and the frame a touch more forgiving off-centre than the 2023.
Played side by side with the 2023, the reviewer preferred the new one as easier to use and more pleasant on off-centre hits. The trap-door handle and classic beam make it a favourite for players who like to tune weight and balance.
Where reviewers split
This is a control racket, and it won’t hand you anything. There is little free power or spin, no help on serve, and players moving up from a forgiving frame will have to supply their own pace. Tennisnerd suggests a livelier string to open up depth and spin.
The update is subtle. Performance is very similar to the 2023, so happy owners have little reason to upgrade, and purists who remember the Candycane or IG Radicals find the Auxetic dampening takes a little of the old crisp feedback away.
Specs
- Head size 98 in²
- Strung weight 318 g
- Balance 33 cm, 4 pts HL
- Swingweight 323
- Stiffness (RA) 66
- Beam width 20/23/21 mm
- String pattern 16 x 19
- Length 27 in
Verdict
A dependable control frame for players who already know how to construct a point. Bring your own pace, because it won’t lend you any.
