Zverev Racket Specs

What racket does Alexander Zverev use? Since his junior days it has been a HEAD – first the Speed that Novak Djokovic also played, and since 2019 the Gravity series, which according to HEAD Zverev helped develop. On this page we go through the Zverev racket specs year by year, list weight, strings and tension where they are known, and explain the difference between the retail model and his tournament frame. One important point up front: neither Zverev nor HEAD has officially confirmed the specs of his personal racket – they come from equipment reports and are labeled as such. As of October 2026.

Alexander Zverev's rackets at a glance

The early years: Novak Djokovic's Speed

Zverev joined HEAD as a junior in Hamburg; the manufacturer supported him through its “Team HEAD” program. He said in 2018 that at around eleven he desperately wanted to play “Novak's white rackets” – the HEAD Speed with which Djokovic was winning at the time. His addition is telling: basically, he said, he has been playing the same racket ever since; he has just made it heavier because he grew.

Exactly which Speed generation he played as a teenager is not documented. Only the overall line is clear: HEAD from the start, contract extensions in Paris in 2018 – together with Djokovic – and later a long-term deal that HEAD describes as a commitment for the next decade.

2014–2019: new paint jobs, old mold

In his first years as a pro, Zverev promoted whichever Speed series was current: the Graphene XT Speed, the Graphene Touch Speed and, from July 2018, the Graphene 360 Speed, for which HEAD featured him alongside Djokovic in a campaign. So on court the racket looked different every year. Underneath, however, there apparently was an older mold: the gear site Tennisnerd wrote in 2018 that neither Djokovic nor Zverev actually played the Graphene 360 Speed mold. Such “paint jobs” – a proven frame in a new cosmetic – are common on tour.

His first big titles came in this period: two Masters 1000 events in 2017 and the 2018 ATP Finals. The milestones are in the career overview.

2019–2024: HEAD Gravity Pro

HEAD launched the Gravity series in 2019. According to the manufacturer, Zverev was involved in its development and became its face. He played the Gravity Pro – according to Tennisnerd, essentially his old Speed mold. With this racket he won Olympic gold in Tokyo and the 2021 ATP Finals.

The reported figures come from the forum of the retailer Tennis Warehouse, as quoted by Tennisnerd; the same source mentions silicone in the handle and lead tape at the top of the head. They have not been officially confirmed.

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Since 2024: the Gravity Tour as his match racket

In autumn 2024, during the Asian swing, Zverev changed frames – he confirmed this himself on his podcast. According to Tennisnerd, he has since been playing a pro version of the Gravity Tour with a 100 sq in head, an 18x20 string pattern and the thicker 22 mm beam; in 2025 he still switched between the Gravity Tour and the Gravity Pro at times. At the 2025 Laver Cup he also tested an all-black frame whose origin remained unclear.

The reported specs are similar to the Gravity Pro: around 343 grams (12.1 oz) strung (about 316 grams or 11.1 oz without strings), a balance of 33 centimeters (13 in) and a swingweight of around 360. With this racket Zverev won Roland Garros and the US Open in 2026 – the season is covered in his Grand Slam record.

Signature edition: HEAD Gravity Tour Zverev 2026

In August 2026 HEAD released the Gravity Tour Zverev 2026 as his own edition, along with the lighter Gravity MP Zverev 2026 and Gravity MP L Zverev 2026. The gold and dark purple paint job is a nod to New York, three gold accents refer to his three necklaces, and his personal logo sits on the frame. Technically the edition is a retail model – and not identical to his tournament racket.

For recreational players that is good news: the retail model is lighter and therefore much easier to play than the 343-gram frame of a 1.98-meter (6 ft 6 in) pro.

Zverev strings and string tension

The string is officially confirmed: HEAD lists Zverev – alongside Jannik Sinner – as an ambassador for its HEAD Hawk Touch monofilament string. According to equipment reports, he plays a hybrid setup: Hawk Touch at 1.25 mm (17 gauge) in the mains and natural gut (Babolat VS Touch, 1.30 mm/16 gauge) in the crosses. The gut provides feel and holds tension longer, the monofilament mains provide control and spin.

On tension there are only snapshots. Older reports give 24 kg (52.9 lb) in the mains and 25 kg (55.1 lb) in the crosses; an example from 2026 is 20.8 kg (45.9 lb) and 21.8 kg (48.1 lb). According to Tennisnerd, his tension varies with the surface, the balls and the weather and has dropped significantly over the years. There is no official figure. If you want to copy the setup, bear in mind that pros often have their rackets freshly strung for every match.

Shoes and clothing

Zverev's clothing and shoes have come from adidas since 1 February 2016; before that he wore Nike. When the deal started he was the face of the adizero line, then he played in the adidas Ubersonic for several seasons. Since 2025, according to equipment reports, he has worn the adidas Defiant Speed 2 with a customized outsole, while the Ubersonic 5 was promoted alongside it. More on clothing and playing style is on the equipment page.

When the racket suffers

Zverev is an emotional player, and sometimes his racket pays the price. In the fourth round of the 2019 Australian Open against Milos Raonic he smashed it on the ground several times and said afterwards that it had helped him let off steam. An incident in February 2022 in Acapulco had serious consequences: after a doubles match he struck the umpire's chair with his racket, was defaulted from the tournament and fined; the ATP suspended an additional ban on probation. Zverev apologized publicly. Most recently, a racket broke at the United Cup in January 2026.

Frequently asked questions about Zverev's racket