Review: Djokovic’s Head Youtek IG Speed 18×20

by: Sam Cooper

Firstly, this racket from Head is very aesthetically pleasing and is definitely an improvement from the previous model which did look particularly garish with regards to its colour way. Whilst trialling this racket I found it to be extremely stable and solid in all areas and its relatively heavy frame did not hinder me in any way as it was also very manoeuvrable and agile. On the forehand side, Novak Djokovic’s weapon of choice allowed me to impart great amounts of spin on the ball with the weighty frame helping to create an extremely heavy ball. The Head Youtek IG Speed 18×20 also excelled when stepping into the court and flattening out the ball to hit through your opponents, which the racket enables you to do with consummate ease. When using this racket you will realise how easy it is to manipulate the ball; whether you are attempting to create angled shots or drilling the ball hard and flat through the court.

The only problem I had with this racket is with my one-handed backhand. It didn’t feel solid or stable enough with only one hand, which is very surprising due to its weight, but could be because the racket is head light. It feels necessary for two hands to be used, thus suiting the player with a two-hand backhand. Players using this racket at the academy where I play do tell me that this racket does compliment a two-hand backhand and that the racket is very effective and useful on this side. From my experience using this stick, it does not offer the stability or reliability when playing with a one-hand that I desire. However, this is the only negative I can find.

When volleying, this racket really excels. Pace and depth are easy to create and the stability and manoeuvrability this stick provides helps to take your volley game to the next level. Precise volleys and touch shots come very naturally when playing with this stick, and I had a lot of success when looking to drop the ball short. Personally, for the weight of the frame I would prefer more mass within the head of the racket to help create more tornsional stability – allowing the racket to be more solid and stable on volleys above shoulder height.

Novak’s weapon of choice is a fantastic racket to serve with. The clean and crisp response off the string bed was very pleasing and it took very little effort to start hammering down serves into any position within the service box. Flat, slice and kick serves all benefit from serving with this exceptional racket, especially the kick serve. I found that I was able to generate enormous amounts of work on the ball, which resulted in the ball kicking extremely high on numerous occasions. I would recommend this racket to any player who wants to take their serve to the next level.

In conclusion, this racket from Head is fantastic in all areas – whether you’re are stepping in and cracking a backhand cross court or conjuring up a delicate volley to leave your opponent looking silly. If it’s good enough for the Djoker, its good enough for me.

Djokovic’s Head Youtek IG Speed can be purchased by clicking the TennisWarehouse banner to the right.

Sam Cooper, woopertennis.co.uk

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