Head Extreme MP XL 2026 Review

The Extreme MP XL is the popular Extreme MP in an extended 27.5-inch length, new for 2026. The same spin-friendly 100 with more reach, easier spin, and a bigger serve, and a swing weight kept sensible so it does not play like a sledgehammer.

What changed for 2026

The Extreme is back to crisp and powerful for 2026 after a couple of softer generations, and the MP XL rides the same update. Hy-Bor in the shaft adds a solid, stable feel, Auxetic 2.0 in the yoke and handle sharpens the connection to the ball, and the open 16x19 pattern with spin grommets snaps back for heavy topspin. Sound grommets give the crisp response the Extreme name is known for.

The XL is the same racquet as the MP, with one change: a half inch of extra length, 27.5 inches instead of 27. That length is the story. Auxetic 2.0's contact feedback matters even more on an extended frame, where off-center hits are easier to catch, so the tech and the format work together.

Head's real achievement here is the swing weight. Extended-length racquets often swing so heavy they become hard to use, but the MP XL comes in at a moderate figure, around the low 320s, so the extra length does not turn it into a sledgehammer. This is the line Matteo Berrettini plays, in a longer format for players who want more reach without the usual penalty.

How it plays

The XL plays like the MP with more leverage. If you are on time and can handle the length, you get more of everything the MP does well, and the serve is where it shows up most.

A bigger serve

The extra length adds racquet-head speed and leverage, and the serve is the clearest beneficiary. Our tester found it even easier to serve than the MP or the Pro, with more speed and the same effects, the kick and the slice coming off easily. For a player who wants free pace on serve, the half inch does real work.

Susana, Tennis Express playtester, on the Extreme MP XL

More reach and more spin

The length helps from the back of the court too. You get a little more reach on the stretch and a little more spin and power on a full swing, all with the same easy margin the MP gives you over the net. It is the MP's game, turned up by leverage.

Usable, not a sledgehammer

The reason the XL works is the swing weight. Head kept it moderate, so the frame is not a chore to get through the hitting zone the way many extended racquets are. If you are on time with your strokes, it swings freely, and the extra length becomes an advantage rather than a burden.

Sam, Tennis Express playtester, on the Extreme MP XL

Which Extreme is for you

The XL is for players who like extended length, or who want more reach and serve power from the MP. If you want standard length, the Extreme MP is the same racquet at 27 inches, and if you want a smaller, more precise control frame, the Extreme Pro is the 98. The XL is the reach-and-serve option of the three.

Who should buy it

The MP XL is for players who like extended-length racquets, or who want more reach, spin and serve speed from the well-rounded Extreme MP. The half inch adds leverage on the serve and from the baseline, and the moderate swing weight keeps it usable, so it suits a player who can handle the timing of a longer frame.

If you find extended length hard to time, the standard Extreme MP is the same racquet at 27 inches. And if you want the most control and precision, the Extreme Pro is the 98 to look at. But for reach and a bigger serve without a punishing swing weight, the MP XL is a smart take on the extended-length idea.