PadelGuru analysis
Verdict
The Head Extreme Motion 2025, Paula Josemaría’s racket, is a smart buy for advanced attacking players who win their points with the bandeja, the vibora and the volley. It’s a diamond-shaped racket with a medium feel, and its power builds the harder you swing, with no sudden jumps in response.
We recommend it to players who build the point from the net. If you spend a lot of time defending from the back at medium pace, it will make you work harder on every shot.
- Best for
- Advanced attacking players who control the match with the bandeja, the vibora and deep volleys.
- Not for
- Players who defend a lot from the baseline at medium pace and need a racket with plenty of easy ball exit.
Strengths
- Bandeja with lots of spin and good control
- Progressive vibora that stays true to your swing
- Deep volleys with barely any wrist movement
- 3D textured face with an almost sandy feel
- Sweet spot that's easy to find from the back
Weaknesses
- Less ball exit at medium pace than the Motion 2024
- Flat smashes at full speed lose some punch
- Dry-sounding impact
01 Baseline: it needs pace to release the ball
From the back, it performs best once the rally speeds up. At medium pace the ball doesn’t come off the face on its own, so you have to follow through on the shot, especially when you’re defending a slow ball off the back glass.
When the ball arrives with some life in it, though, the sweet spot is easy to find. That gives you the confidence to send it back deep without having to hit the perfect shot on every defensive ball.
02 Volley: depth from a compact swing
At the net, this racket drives the ball deep with minimal wrist action: just get it in position and angle the face, and the volley travels deep. That’s a real asset if you come to the net looking to push your opponents back to the baseline.
It weighs between 350 and 370 g and its maneuverability is average, so in quick reflex exchanges it pays to set up the shot a fraction earlier.
03 Overheads: spinny bandeja, faithful vibora
The overhead game is where it shines. The bandeja comes off with extra spin and extra control, helped by the 3D textured face, which feels close to a sandy finish. On the vibora it’s progressive: the racket respects your swing and the ball leaves exactly as fast as you accelerate it, with no surprises.
On the x3 smash, the head-heavy balance (270 mm) suits a topspin swing well, and once again the response is progressive. The catch is the flat smash at full acceleration: there the face swallows some of the ball and loses part of the punch you’d expect from such an attacking racket.
04 Medium feel with a firm edge
The Power Foam core and UD Carbon face give it a firm, direct response that works at both medium and high pace. Impact sounds dry, though it never reaches the sound of a stiff racket.
At the handle, the soft butt cap adds a bit of comfort.
05 Versus the Motion 2024: stiffer and more aggressive
Compared with the Extreme Motion 2024, the changes favour attackers: the 2025 is stiffer and built to hit harder, at the cost of some ball exit from the back when the pace is medium. If you valued the help the previous model gave you in defence, you’ll now have to put in more yourself. If your game revolves around the net and the smash, you come out ahead.
Frequently asked questions
- What racket does Paula Josemaría use?
- Paula Josemaría plays with the Extreme Motion 2025, Head's head-heavy diamond-shaped racket. Its standout shots are the bandeja and the vibora.
- Is the Extreme Motion 2025 stiff or soft?
- Neither: its feel sits in the middle, leaning towards medium-stiff. If you want a soft, cushioned racket, this isn't the one.
- What's the difference between the Extreme Motion 2025 and the 2024?
- The newer model is stiffer, hits harder in attack and has a drier sound at impact. The trade-off comes in defence, where it offers slightly less ball exit at medium speeds than the 2024.
- How good is the Extreme Motion 2025 for x3 smashes?
- It does well when you hit them with topspin, as the power comes through progressively. Hit flat and as hard as you can, and the ball has less pop than you'd expect.
- How much does the Extreme Motion 2025 weigh?
- It's a mid-weight racket at 350 to 370 g. Because the balance is high, you'll feel that weight more towards the head than in your hand.