KP Pannu beats Holden Koons at King of Clay Pro Tennis Classic

Getting together at the King of Clay Pro Tennis Classic Sunday at the Abel Tennis Center in Orwigsburg are from left, event director Ryan Knarr, co-host Elizabeth Abel, player Holden Koons, player KP Pannu and co-host Mark Abel. (COURTESY OF RYAN KNARR)

KP Pannu defeated Holden Koons 6-3, 3-7, 10-7 Sunday at the King of Clay Pro Tennis Classic at the Abel Tennis Center in Orwigsburg, Schuylkill County.

In a junior exhibition, the team of Conrad Weiser senior Emma Perkins and Anthony Kirchner, the second-ranked 12u singles player in the nation, defeated Nile Abadir, the 2021 PIAA Class 2A singles champ, and Albright’s Alex Pancu, a Conrad Weiser grad, 6-3.

Perkins and Pancu teammed to win the PIAA Class 2A doubles title in 2020.

The event was hosted by Mark and Elisabeth Abel.

Pannu, a New Zealander, is ranked 651st in the world. Koons, a Dallastown grad who will play his final season of college tennis as a grad student at Wake Forest, played four years at James Madison.

Both players participated in the Ellesse Pro Tennis Challenge in Wyomissing.

“Today was a wonderful opportunity to bring pro tennis to an entire new group of people to see the top of our game up close,” said Ryan Knarr, the event director of both pro events. “The events this week are special because they give us the opportunity to inspire a generation by using tennis as a platform to impact lives for the better.

“KP and Holden are wonderful ambassadors for the game and we are excited to help grow the King of Clay in future years.”