INTRODUCTION: The Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro is one of four Head Prestige models for 2012. The specs remain the same for the IG model as for the previous generation. The cosmetics have a more eye-catching look, while staying true to Prestige tradition, and it comes with a full, wrap-around bumper guard. Like last year, it comes with a  Head Leather Tour Grip.

The Mid was strung at 57 in Head's top of the line poly, Sonic Pro 17G. I played with the racquet for 20 plus hours over the course of a week.


GROUNDSTROKES: Just like the other three Prestige IG frames, the Youtek IG Prestige Pro plays beautifully off the ground. Slightly heavier (and heavier in the head) than the MidPlus frame, I found I could generate a little more power with the Pro than with the MP (although the marginally extra swing speed of the MP allowed me to hit with slightly more spin).

Although I used to play with leather grips, I definitely appreciate the extra traction that today's synthetic replacement grips and overgrips offer. I therefore used an overgrip with the IG Prestige Pro as I found the leather grip didn't give me the security I'm used to. But with an overgrip in place, the racquet couldn't have felt better. If anything, playing with a leather grip under an overgrip gives the hand a little more sensitivity to racquet feedback.

As with all the Prestige frames, the Youtek IG Prestige Pro is extremely accurate. The combination of a very firm feeling upon ball contact with a slight amount of flex and exceptional hand an arm feedback gave me a feeling of complete control over the racquet.  This is great for two reasons:

1). There were absolutely no surprises. Once contact was made, I knew instantly what the result would be. In contrast to some racquets, the Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro is 100% predictable.

2). This predictability is ideal for making adjustments from shot to shot. Because of the racquet's precision, I was able to correct anything I was unhappy about with a previous shot in order to immediately correct the next  shot. For example, a heavily topspun forehand would lack the height I was looking for. In making an adjustment on  the next shot, the racquet was not a factor in the adjustment. The slightest adjustment in a stroke would produce the slightest adjustment in the result. I'm sure like me, many of you have had the opposite experience of playing with racquets that are very temperamental when it comes to control. You make a tiny adjustment in a stroke and what you get is a massive over correction in your result. In direct contrast to the myth of "bad workmen blaming their tools", these are instances of either bad racquets, or racquets designed for a player of lesser ability where precision and accuracy are not significant factors.

After playing extensively with the Pro, I couldn't find a single thing with my groundstroke game I wasn't 100% comfortable with. It's smooth, accurate and stable with a power level that's ideal for players who like to generate their own pace.

VOLLEYS:  Head light and with a 98 square inch head, the Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro is ideal for use around the net. It's maneuverable, stable, has a large sweet spot, and offers the same sort of precision and accuracy with volleys as it does with ground strokes. I found that there were so many positives that identifying which of them is the most noticeable or stands out the most was impossible. For example, it was hard to say whether the racquet performed better playing touch shots or when dealing with redirecting bullets coming at you. On the one hand, the feel it offered when touch was required was outstanding; however, on the other hand, the stability it offered when playing against real pace was just as outstanding.

Needless to say, I had no difficulties whatsoever with any aspect of my game at the net. As with the MP and Mid models in the Prestige line, it's a great racquet to volley with.

SERVES and OVERHEADS: Serving with racquets that are characterized by their precision and accuracy is always relatively easy. However, when it comes to comparing the performance between, say, a Head Youtek IG Prestige Mid, a Head Youtek IG Prestige MidPlus and a Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro, it's a difficult exercise. Other than to say that these three 2012 Head Youtek IG frames all perform exceptionally well, the task of choosing which of the three performs best on the serve is impossible to answer.

My guess is that if you had a number of advanced players conduct a serving test with each of these racquets, there would not be a consensus as to which is the best server's racquet. Of the three, and this is purely subjective, I preferred the Mid over the MidPlus and the subject of this review, the Youtek IG Prestige Pro. I would like to stress, though, that I usually prefer serving with mid size racquets over the midpluses. My reasoning for this, and I'm guessing here, is that the sweet spot on a mid either is (or feels) slightly higher than on a midplus or oversize racquet. The result is that I feel as though I'm hitting the ball from a greater height and that I'm also generating more pace because the ball is making contact on the area of the strings where the racquet is travelling a little faster. In other words, serving with a mid compared to a midplus is similar to serving with a 27 1/2" racquet compared to a 27" frame. The 27 1/2 racquet gives you that extra bit of power.

Getting back to the Youtek IG Pro, players who like "players" racquets and who also prefer midplus frames will be hard pressed to find any complaints with this racquet. It's a racquet that's extremely solid combined with a head light balance that allows tremendous swing speed. Along with its precision and accuracy, this combination produces a consistently high percentage of heavy 1st serves. As for spin generation, the 16x19 string pattern produces nice "grab" on the ball for an excellent result in this area as well.

Regarding overhead, (and here I prefer midplus frames over mids), the Head Youtek IG Pro makes the shot simple.


RETURN OF SERVE: When you have a racquet that's great for both groundstrokes and volleys, you've also got a racquet that's great for returns. Types of returns range from abbreviated, volley-like strokes in order to block back monstrous first serves to full blooded drives when attacking short, weak second serves. What's needed is a racquet that's equally good for both shots and everything in between. Which is exactly how I found the Head Youtek IG Pro.

If I had to single anything out, it was that the racquet performed exceptionally well when returning big first serves when an abbreviated, compact stroke was required. I loved the racquet's stability, which allowed me to consistently direct the ball exactly where I wanted it to go. Being able to do this meant I could be extremely effective in neutralizing my opponent's 1st serve.

For the same reason, I also found it to be really effective when I was stretched out wide. As long as I could get the strings on the ball, I was able to maneuver the racquet with ease, and because of the racquet's performance qualities, in particular its stability and solidity, I could use my opponent's pace to counter with well placed, firm returns.

CONCLUSION: The Head Youtek IG Prestige Pro is a superb racquet that is ideal for players who can generate their own pace, but who also have good feel. The racquet's versatility will appeal to players with multi-dimensional, all court games as it does everything extremely well.

The most difficult choice facing players who try this racquet and love it is determining which of 2012's Head Youtek IG Prestige frames suits them best. If this year's models are any indication, the Head Prestige line is going to be around for many years to come.

MORE HEAD TENNIS RACQUET REVIEWS:

Head Youtek IG Prestige S Tennis Racquet Review

Head Youtek IG Prestige MP Tennis Racquet Review