HEAD Gravity Tour 98

Tennis nerds worldwide are very excited about the new HEAD Gravity Tour 98, which is now out in a teaser cosmetic.

Ever since HEAD released the Gravity line, there have been requests to get a Gravity but in a 98 sq inch head size. The idea is to increase the control aspect and make the racquet move faster through the air.

Will there be more HEAD Gravity 98 racquets than the Tour? Not as far as we are aware. It would be nice with a Gravity Pro 98 in 16/20, but maybe that is too much of a personal request :)

Specifications

The HEAD Gravity Tour 98 has a 16/19 string pattern, compared to the regular HEAD Gravity Tour with an 18/20 pattern. Otherwise, the beam profile, weight and balance are the same.

Head size: 98 sq inches
Unstrung Weight: 305g
String pattern: 16/19
Beam width: 22 mm
Balance: 320 mm

How does it play?

I am waiting for a demo racquet to be able to test the Gravity Tour 98, but our regular contributor, Henrik, has already had a hit with it.

It is for sure a good racquet, that is felt straight from the first hit. Imagine a Gravity MP with a bit more control. If you go for your shots, it delivers good spin and power. It offers great sound, but is a little dampened in terms of feel. The sensation is excellent when impacting the ball though, a bit better than the Speed MP.

The one downside is that the ball might sail a bit on some shots. The 16/19 pattern is not a super dense one, so the racquet does offer decent spin potential, but not quite the pinpoint control that some players might be looking for.

Henrik Wallensten, play-tester, racquet nerd and Davis Cup stringer

This is only after one hit, so these are first impressions. More to come in the near future!

Summary

The excitement about the HEAD Gravity Tour 98 is strong. There are many Gravity fans out there, from the club level to the pro tour with players like Zverev, Safiullin and Rublev all using the Gravity Pro. It’s a line that has taken over as the main control line from the HEAD Prestige, which to many are too demanding for the modern game.

The Gravity’s unique head shape does really seem to offer a more generous sweet spot and that works well with a thinner beam and a dense pattern. How will it work with a 22 mm beam and a 16/19 string pattern? More to come about that in our in-depth review.

First impressions about new racquets and a weekly vlog on our Patreon members page. If you need help finding your next racquet, why not get a Tennisnerd consultation? To learn more about racquets and strings in general, check out our ever-expanding Guide to Racquets and Strings.