Today, Thursday 2 May, Head has launched its latest iteration of Radical squash rackets. These are Head’s ‘traditional’ or ‘closed throat’ rackets, which place a large emphasis on control.
In a rarely-seen move, current World #2 Paul Coll has announced his switch from Head’s ‘teardrop’ or ‘open throat’ racket (known as the Speed), and will now be the signature player on Head’s Radical range of rackets. We had previously covered Paul Coll’s switch to Head, which you can read about here.
Meanwhile, US #1 Amanda Sobhy, who is currently out due to a severe injury picked up in Hong Kong, has revealed she will be permanently switching from Head’s Radical 120 to their Speed 120. Amanda was previously the signature player on the Radical range of rackets.
For two players, both inside the top four in the world, to swap signature rackets, is something rarely, if ever, seen before. We spoke to both players on why they made the switch.
Paul Coll on switching to the Head Radical 135 Slimbody
“I’ve put a tonne of work into improving my shot-making on court, and the increased control from the Radical rackets has allowed me to really make the most of it.
“My coaches Rob Owen and Rodney Martin both use closed throat rackets, and they run me in circles around the court at the best of times. It made a lot of sense to me to make the switch, seeing first-hand just how much control a traditional racket shape can deliver.
“Like the Speed, The Radical range has one of my favourite features – Head’s AFP [Adaptive Fan Pattern], which allows me to use a denser stringing pattern, meaning even more control.”
Those observant will have spotted the racket in Paul’s hands since early this year, where he first used it at the Windy City Open in Chicago. Since switching rackets, Paul has gone on to win both the 2024 Optasia Championships and the Gillenmarkets London Classic.
Amanda Sobhy on switching to the Head Speed 120 Slimbody
In late 2023 at the Hong Kong Open, Amanda had played her first tournament with the Speed 120, and arguably played the best squash of her career. She had toppled World #1 Nour El Sherbini in just three games, before succumbing to injury early on in the final against Hania El Hammamy.
On switching to the Speed 120 Slimbody, Amanda said: “I liked my touch shots more with the Speed. And I felt I had a bigger sweet spot with it as well.
“The Radical is a brilliant racket, but I felt the smaller sweet required more focus on precision to make the most of it.
“The bigger sweet spot on the Speed allows me to focus more on my shot choice, while still placing the ball exactly where I want on the front wall.”
Racket reviews & purchase links
We now have our hands on the latest line of Radical rackets from Head, and therefore expect to release a full review in the coming weeks. Check back soon for all the information on Head’s latest and greatest rackets.
The latest range of Radical rackets can be found using the below links:
Purchase links
Amazon
PDH Sports
Article images used with permission from PSA World Tour.