Test Racquet
Head Graphene Touch Prestige MP
Intro
The Head Zepp Tennis Sensor is a new performance-tracking device that helps you learn more about your strokes and improve your tennis game. Head's software is specifically designed for any Graphene XT, Graphene Touch or MXG tennis racquets. The tennis-specific racquet device measures your stroke type, ball speed and spin, and even gathers your calories burned and playing/rally time. This information is then sent to you through one of the many compatible devices (iPads, iPods, iPhones, Androids and Bluetooth 4.0 and newer). You can use this data to analyze the progress of your game, study your performance with your coach, and compete with your friends.
Initial Setup
The initial setup for this device, like most other tennis devices, takes a little bit of time. It is very easy to do, but it can get overwhelming since you have to answer questions, set up your account with HEAD, and establish a Bluetooth connection. This sensor is unique since it just replaces the butt cap on your racquet and weighs exactly the same as the standard butt cap. I like this feature because the sensor feels natural on my racquet, unlike some of the other bulky sensors on the market. The only downside is that the sensor can only be used with mobile devices, so you cannot download the app to your laptop or computer.
Usage
Once you get everything connected, the sensor is very easy to use. The Play section allows you to see different stats as you are hitting. It shows you how long you played, how many calories you burned, how many times you hit certain strokes, how many hits were with spin, how often you hit the sweet spot, and how fast you hit the ball. In the Train section, there are different videos that are focused on helping you improve specific shots. The app can also individualize your training videos and recommend topics that fit your needs. This is a nice feature if you don’t have a coach or if you’re working on a specific shot. In the Compete section, you can play against anyone and record video footage of each point so that you can analyze your game later. You will need at least one sensor to record a singles match and two sensors to record a doubles match. This feature is good for players who want to analyze how they play against certain opponents. You can break down the video point-by-point or shot-by-shot to analyze your game.
Finally, there is Practice Serve mode. This is a unique setting that allows you to see a 3D image of your service motion and analyze statistics about your serve. This is my favorite feature because you get to see how you swing on each serve, so you can change certain aspects of your swing based on what you see. Two negative aspects are that you can’t see where the ball lands and you can’t record a video of yourself serving in this mode. However, you can look at many different angles of slow-motion replay for each serve you hit. A 3D rendering shows you where you make contact with the ball, where you start and finish each swing, and the swing path of your serve.
Overall
HEAD and ZEPP designed a very good product that can be used by many different players. The product can only be used with new Head tennis racquets, but it did make me want to switch to their brand just so I can test it out and analyze more features of my game. I liked many different features of this sensor and it stands out from the other racquet sensors on the market today. I highly recommend this sensor to anyone who has or is looking to purchase a Head Graphene XT, Graphene Touch or MXG racquet.
About the Reviewer: Chris Virk-Brown currently works at Tennis Express on the Content Marketing team. He previously played at Neumann University and coached at the collegiate level for 3 years. He is an active USTA League and Tournament player.