The 2023 Radical 180 is the heaviest racquet in the 2023 Radical series, it features Head's new Auxetic Technology. The 180 gram weight is designed for players with slower swing speeds looking for more mass but still want effortless maneuverability. By lowering the balance point to a head light feel, you are able to use the additional mass and increase swing speed to create explosive power. HEAD did trials with players, the Auxetic construction increases players' confidence in their shots as you get an enhanced feel for the ball, including when it is off-center. If it's slightly off-center it stretches some strings more than others, and you're getting a reaction where you need it, so you're getting more feeling and control. That's feeding back to the player who can feel the shot better, and that gives them more confidence in the execution of their shot. It could be that, because of Auxetic materials, HEAD will end up making racquetball racquets completely differently in the future, including with new shapes. It could make it easier to have smart racquets with sensors in them, and there could be sustainability benefits. In years to come, we might find ourselves looking back and saying, 'That was the first tennis racquet with Auxetic composites, that was the racquet that changed the sport'. That would be massive.
