Iconic tennis rackets series: No.1, the HEAD Radical – ‘It was like an extension of your hand’
Ross Batten, the owner of the tennis retailer AllThingsTennis.co.uk, kicks off a mini series identifying some of the sport’s most celebrated rackets starting with the HEAD Radical
Andy Murray is among the more recent players who have endorsed the Head Radical, but for anyone with longer memories this iconic racket will always be associated with Andre Agassi. It was launched in 1993, the year after the American had made his great breakthrough with his historic triumph at Wimbledon. He went on to win seven more Grand Slam titles playing with the Radical.
Thanks to an exclusive partnership with All Things Tennis and HEAD you can purchase the HEAD Radical Graphene 360 MP with a 5% discount. ATT are the only UK retailer selling this classic, legendary frame so hurry up before stocks run out! Just follow this link and your discount will be applied at the checkout
The original Radical, made in Austria, was often referred to as the “Bumblebee” edition due to its striking yellow and black design. Some would argue that in terms of feel it was the best Radical that Head ever made. Agassi, who won the US Open in 1994 wielding his new racket, loved it. “Head built a racket that was like an extension of your hand and from the first day I never looked back.,” he said.
For me the next iconic Radical was the 1999 version, the Head TI model. This was the first Radical constructed using titanium. This version was a whole new mould and frame from the original six years earlier, with a lower weight of 295 grams. It was a bold change but a successful one as Agassi won the US Open for the second time that year, beating Todd Martin over five sets in the final.
The next big change of mould and frame came in 2003 with the Liquid Metal Radical. This was the racket Agassi used to win the eighth and final Grand Slam title of his career at the Australian Open. He dropped only one set in Melbourne that year, against Nicolas Escudé in the third round. In the final Agassi dropped just five games in beating Rainer Schüttler.
In 2012 Head produced the YouTek Radical, which had a 98 square-inch head, an 18 x 20 string pattern and a super low 59 stiffness RA rating. Murray endorsed the YouTek range when he won the US Open and Olympic gold in 2012 and the Wimbledon title the following year.
My favourite Radical of all time is actually the Graphene 360, launched in 2019. This model came with much more power thanks to the introduction of graphene material in the frame. The frame was also changed to feature a more open 16 x 19 pattern. This racket weighs 295 grams but is extremely stable, spin-friendly and quick through the air.
In fact this model is so popular that Head are still making it alongside their newer models. AllThingsTennis has secured the exclusive rights to the 2023 stock of this hugely popular Radical, which can be bought for just over £100.
The 2023 model still features graphene but also benefits from auxetic technology, which improves the feel. The auxetic material widens when a “pull” force is applied and contracts when squeezed. This racket, which weighs 300 grams and has a 16 x 19 string pattern, is endorsed by, among others, Taylor Fritz, Diego Schwartzman and Sloane Stephens.
AllThingsTennis.co.uk is the UK’s fastest growing dedicated tennis retailer. Tennishead readers receive an exclusive 5% discount on all purchases from AllThingsTennis.co.uk when using this coupon code: TENNISHEAD5
Join >> Receive $700/£600 of tennis gear from the Tennishead CLUB
Social >> Facebook, Twitter & YouTube
Read >> World’s best tennis magazine
Shop >> Lowest price tennis gear from our trusted partner
