I had the good fortune to find a couple of Prestige Classic 600 pro stocks (PT10). And here is my HEAD PT10 Pro Stock Racquet Review.
This HEAD PT10 Pro Stock Racquet Review could perhaps have been called “Playing with Robin Haase‘s racquets” because I am almost certain these frames used to belong to the Dutch ATP top 50 player. I bought them from a guy in the Netherlands and they are all matched and the only active pro I know who uses the PT10 is Robin Haase. I might be wrong, but I find it unlikely.
The PT10 is based on the Prestige Classic 600 and is a legend in the game. Yesterday I published an article about Marat Safin’s racquet, which was coincidentally also a PT10 (later in his life he moved to other HEAD Prestige Mids). The Prestige Classic 600 has that beautiful buttery feel that is pretty much a more maneuverable HEAD Pro Tour 630/280 (out again in the shape of the HEAD Pro Tour 2.0). Both these iconic frames have the extended grommet channel and both offer great precision, comfort, and flex. They are classics in the game for a reason.
My video review will go live at 10 pm CET.
HEAD PT10 Pro Stock Racquet Review – Specs
The specs of my frames were the following:
Head size: 89.5 sq inches (listed as 93, but HEAD used to measure the outside, not the inside of the racquet)
String pattern: 18×20
Beam: 19 mm
Stiffness: Flexible (not sure about the RA rating)
Strung weight: 341g
Balance: 32.7 cm (4.5 pts HL)
Swing weight: 354 (pro-style SW!)
Two were in the HEAD Graphene XT Prestige Mid paint job and one was in the HEAD Prestige Youtek Prestige Mid paint job. They all look and play beautiful if you like old-school racquets.
How does it play?
The Prestige Classic 600 / PT10 is not a forgiving frame. You need to move your feet, watch the ball like a hawk and be a pretty advanced player to enjoy these racquets. But if you do play well, they are fantastic. You are always connected to the ball, the hefty swing weight gave me some good power and I just loved everything from the sound to the precision of these racquets.
I am not surprised that Robin Haase stayed with the PT10 for as long as he did. Yes, I don’t know any active ATP pro these days playing with a head size of 90 sq inches (or smaller). The game has moved on and is now in so fast and spin-focused that it would be very difficult to use a midsize racquet successfully. This doesn’t mean club players and recreational tennis players can’t use these racquets if we want to. Yes, they will punish us on bad days, but make tennis extra glorious on good days.
Have you tried the Prestige Classic 600 (PT10)?
3 comments
Thank you for the article, Jonas! Can’t wait to see the video of you playing with it. I only recently started trying old head frames and probably became a racketholic myself, and these Prestige Classics are brilliant. Almost talked myself into using them for matches. These rackets give such a pleasant and addictive sound and feel at compact, it’s really unparaleling. Sweetspot is not big, but it’s quite easy to find, and i really find it easier to spin the ball compared to PT 2.0. And you can attack the lines with it confidently, which is part of your game plan, if I remember correctly! I hope you will play with them more often, but if you will decide to get rid of them, let me know! By the way, Elite Pro and Elektra Pro are the same PT10, but even more flexible! I have them as well.
Tobias Kamke is supposed to be the last pro using PC 600/ PT 10
Thank you Jonas for this review, I hope you will find a place in your bag for at least one of these rackets (if you will decide to get rid of some, please let me know). Very good stick at least in training, if not match situtations. Allows you to go for the lines, which is part of your game plan as well if I remember well!
I have a few PC600, along with Prestige 600 and Elite pro, which is a more flexible Prestige. Sound and feel of PT10 is really the most pleasant i ever had in any racket, really a perfect balance of “crisp -plush”. Playing with it every week part-time.
My impression, that it works well will a lot of strings, be it slick round poly, or rough texture spin friendly poly, even multi would do fine. Curious to hear your opinion, what string might suit best for PT10?