The History of the HEAD Radical Series
Celebrating 30 years of ‘The People’s Racquet’
First designed for a "rebellious" Andre Agassi in the early 1990s, the RADICAL continues to live up to its name. Thirty years after it was first launched, the racquet is still disrupting the tennis world.
From Agassi to Andy Murray to Taylor Fritz and from Sloane Stephens to Diego Schwartzman, some of the sport’s most creative and groundbreaking athletes have endorsed the RADICAL racquet series. With HEAD relaunching the series in 2023, with an upgrade that includes state-of-the-art Auxetic technology for sensational impact feel, we look back at the history of a racquet that is now as iconic as the man who inspired it.
2023: Auxetic RADICAL
Upgraded with state-of-the-art Auxetic technology, the new RADICAL racquet for 2023 offers sensational impact feel and increased confidence in your game. There's no shot you can't play with 'The People's Racquet', which supplies outstanding versatility and playability.
A new, bold and asymmetrical design illustrates the modernity and innovation of the RADICAL, which has a number of exclusive technologies, including sound grommets, which enhance your power through greater string movement while optimizing sound and vibrations. While the variable beam cross-section perfectly balances power, control and spin, the dense 16/19 string pattern supplies an optimal mix of control and power.
A new, bold and asymmetrical design illustrates the modernity and innovation of the RADICAL, which has a number of exclusive technologies, including sound grommets, which enhance your power through greater string movement while optimizing sound and vibrations. While the variable beam cross-section perfectly balances power, control and spin, the dense 16/19 string pattern supplies an optimal mix of control and power.
2021: G360+ RADICAL
This upgrade came with a new mold, as well as a fresh, vibrant and daring design, and the introduction of advanced Graphene 360+ technology. The combination of Graphene 360's energy transfer and the innovative spiralfibers delivered enhanced flex and a clean impact feel. Designed for versatile, all-court players, this RADICAL range provided an ideal blend of power, control and spin.
2019: G360 RADICAL
To enhance the power of your game, the RADICAL racquet - which is endorsed by 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens - was engineered with Graphene 360. The material strengthened the frame, delivering improved stability and optimized energy transfer from racquet to ball. With your extremely versatile RADICAL, there's no shot you can't play.
2018: GTouch RADICAL
For even better touch and feel, the RADICAL was elevated with Graphene Touch technology. HEAD had re-engineered Graphene and also introduced a shock absorbent material to the new frame with faster vibration reduction after hitting the ball.
2016: GXT RADICAL
With the introduction of Graphene XT, which had a stronger structure, it was possible to reduce the weight of the racquet, but to have the equivalent swing weight of a conventional racquet. That meant that players had a faster racquet, but they had the same weight behind the ball when they hit it.
2014: G. RADICAL
The first RADICAL racquet to be made with Graphene, a wonder material that is both very light and stable. In other developments, the string pattern of the MP was changed from 18x20 to 16x19, and there was no longer an OVERSIZE model.
2012: YT IG RADICAL
Andy Murray, who endorses the RADICAL series, took the 2012 US Open title to become the first British man in the Open Era to be a Grand Slam singles champion. The same year, HEAD released the new version of the RADICAL, with YouTek technology and innovative Innegra fiber. The PRO model was now built from the MP mold (from the FXP RADICAL to the YT RADICAL, it had previously been made from a separate mold).
2009: YT RADICAL
Everyone's playing style is different, and the RADICAL series was upgraded with YouTek, a highly progressive technology that adapted to the way you played the game.
2007: Microgel RADICAL
To improve the feel of the RADICAL, it was refreshed with the introduction of Microgel technology.
2005: FXP RADICAL
Agassi ended his career - he retired after the 2006 US Open - with a racquet which had been upgraded with Flexpoints, which improved the aerodynamics of the frame.
2003: LM RADICAL
This was the year that Agassi won his seventh Grand Slam singles title with the RADICAL, with his victory at the Australian Open (and the eighth major of his career). This was also the year that the racquet was reimagined with new Liquid metal technology, as well as a new mold and shape.
2001: i RADICAL
The series just got that bit smarter with the launch of the i. RADICAL, which was powered by HEAD Intelligence technology. The intellifibers used the mechanical energy of the ball impact and converted it, in under a millisecond, into electrical energy.
1999: Ti. RADICAL
For the first time, the RADICAL was constructed using titanium. Six years after the original RADICAL was launched in 1993, the racquet underwent a significant upgrade. The weight was reduced to 295 grams, and the frame was built with a new mold and frame. Agassi won the US Open for the second time this year.
1998: RADICAL TOUR 630 and RADICAL TOUR 690
The RADICAL had a design refresh but it was still built with the Twintube technology.
Agassi could really hurt his opponent with the RADICAL: "I knew instinctively when a ball left my racquet what damage that shot would do to my opponent."
1995: RADICAL TOUR 630 and RADICAL TOUR 690
The RADICAL was updated with Twintube technology and with a striking black and white design which earned it a new nickname, 'The Zebra'. Agassi liked how HEAD were forever innovating. "HEAD were a great partner. They were always willing to explore ways of making me better," said Agassi, who would win the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics Games with his RADICAL racquet. "I was always looking for ways to make the racquet stronger, and to absorb pace better. And there were some materials that changed along the way, and tinkering of weight and balance."
1993: RADICAL TOUR 630 and RADICAL TOUR 690
Andre Agassi was going through his rebellious phase in 1993, the year that HEAD created the RADICAL racquet for him. With its black and yellow design, it fast became known as 'The Bumblebee', and it appealed to the Las Vegan, who felt as though he could "express" himself with his new racquet. "Having something that was so different, it felt as though it was in harmony with my personality and my rebellion at the time. I liked it because it was an expression. It was the greatest expression. The only thing, besides your mouth, that you can talk with is your racquet," said Agassi, who won the 1994 US Open with his new RADICAL racquet.
"If it looked the part and performed the part, I was pretty happy with it. HEAD built a racquet that was like an extension of your hand and from the first day I never looked back."
