Racquet Review: Head Speed Pro Legend 2025

• Price: $299
• Head Size: 100 sq. in.
• Length: 27 in.
• Weight: 11.5 oz.
• Balance: 7 pts. HL
• Swingweight: 328
• RA Rating: 62
• Beam Width: 23mm
• String Pattern: 18x20

What’s New

The Speed Pro Legend is an early look of the upcoming Speed series coming out in 2026. It has same specs and playability as the standard Speed Pro, but in a special-edition colorway that pays tribute to Novak Djokovic. The sleek all-black, glossy, minimalist cosmetic has gold branding of the company’s and Djokovic’s logos. There’s also forged carbon detailing around the 3 and 9 o’clock positions of the hoop.

The chief innovation in the new Speeds is the addition of Hy-Bor—a composite of boron and carbon fibers commonly used in the aerospace industry—to the shaft of the frame. It’s intended to improve the stability and feel of the racquet. The Hy-Bor is accompanied by the return of Auxetic 2.0 technology, which creates better ball connection and response at contact.

What Works

The Speed Pro Legend pays tribute to an icon of the game, but it’s a thoroughly modern racquet. Its combination of 100 square-inch head, fairly substantial weight/swingweight and thickish beam gives the racquet more pop than generally associated with a “Pro” level frame. However, the 18x20 string pattern helps tame it and keep the dials turned more toward control. It’s not as point-and-shoot as a classic 18x20, but it’s still very predictable while offering more margin for error.

This comes in handy when engaging in feverish baseline exchanges. You don’t have to be letter-perfect to produce a quality shot, plus you get a little more punch when imposing with heavy serves and aggressive groundies. And the tighter string pattern raises the accuracy more than most.

The previous Speed Pro did this as well, but got knocked for being a little too muted and dampened at contact. While less of an issue for a power frame, a racquet like the Speed Pro that appeals to a more advanced audience requires more connection to be effective. Control is more in order and that’s where having greater feel for the ball and the resulting shot is important.

The addition of Hy-Bor has improved this aspect of the Speed’s performance. It stiffens up the racquet for a crisper, more connected feel and heightened stability without diminishing comfort. The cleaner response off the string bed gives the player a sensation of tighter command over the ball, and confidence to aim their shots at smaller targets.

Whether intentional or not—Head has not indicated it was a goal—the new material appears to have lowered the swingweight of the Pro as well. Not a huge amount, but enough to help with maneuverability. This shows up when catching up to a fast serve, during quick net exchanges or when taking bigger cuts to add a little more oomph to the ball.

That swing speed comes in handy when putting rotation on the ball. Being an 18x20, it’s not designed to wow in the spin department. The launch angle is a little lower and its customary ball flight more linear. It’s more in its element when stepping inside the court, taking aim just above the net and flattening out a laser down the line.

That said, the string spacing is just as generous as many conservative 16x19 frames, and the triple-digit head size offers a bit more area to work with. So players already capable with topspin and slice shouldn’t have any issues using either to give shots a little more shape. Using a thinner gauge or shaped polyester string would also help the cause.

All the while the frame provides top-notch stability. The softer flex causes no buckling when redirecting pace from heavy first serves or passing shots. And it’s a value add at net when trying to mix in angle and drop volleys with the punch shots. The frame’s versatility makes it a natural for all-court play.

What Needs Work

The give and take of an 18x20 with greater forgiveness is it’s not quite as adept on touch and in-between shots as a thinner beamed model with a smaller head. Judging distance on drop shots and lobs can be tricky. You can still be clever with the Speed Pro, it’s just not a magic wand.

Similarly, when compared to its competitors, the racquet isn’t the smoothest through the air. It’s a substantial frame and its profile compounds the bulk. It’s arguably nimbler than its predecessor and advanced players will certainly welcome the heft. But there are still times when scrambling on defense or improvising that its movement can feel labored.

Bottom Line

With refinements to its stability and feedback the new Speed Pro might just be the friendliest 18x20 frame around.