An ‘extra special’ homecoming for Wellington’s KP Pannu

When Kiranpal Pannu was growing up in Wellington he only had two options when it came to weekday afternoons.

His mum was a coach at Vogelmorn Tennis Club in Brooklyn and so he and his sister could either go to after-school care, or to the courts.

And that’s where it all started for the 25-year-old Kiwi pro – thanks to his club coach mum.

“She was the reason that I first got into tennis,” he says, speaking over the phone from Atlanta in the United States, where he is based these days.

This summer, five minutes down the road from those courts where he spent his childhood afternoons, KP Pannu (as most people know him) will be coming home to New Zealand to hunt some world ranking points.

He will be playing in both the Wellington Open and the ITF World Tennis Tour: Wellington events at the Renouf Tennis Centre, as part of a huge two weeks of tennis in the capital.

“I think me and my family are first and foremost just excited to spend time together,” KP says.

“And then the bonus of me being able to play tennis and play in front of them just makes it extra special.”

KP has been living in the United States since he landed a tennis scholarship to Columbus State University after his high school years at Wellington College.

He graduated with a business degree in 2019 and started chasing his tennis dream full time.

He played a handful of professional tournaments and picked up his first ATP points, but then Covid hit.

“With the lockdowns and stuff, I never really got to play and travel on tour. So this year's been my first year where I've been able to play almost a full schedule. And it's been great,” KP says.

He has played tournaments in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Tunisia, as well as all over the US.

He has watched his ATP world ranking move from 1200 to 650.

“Just being able to travel and live that tour life has been a great experience,” he says.

“To experience new cultures and see different parts of the world, it's definitely one of the most exciting things that we get to do. I just think I'm very blessed to be able to do that.”

The highlight of his career so far came in September when he was a member of the New Zealand Davis Cup team that travelled to Helsinki, Finland.

“That was something that I always kind of dreamt about and aspired to do since I was like a 12- or 14-year-old boy playing all the local tournaments around Wellington and New Zealand.”

KP’s first Davis Cup match was against Finnish number one Emil Ruusuvuori, who is currently ranked 40th in the world. Ruusuvuori won in straight sets – 6-1, 6-2.

“He was the highest ranked player I've ever played by a good bit,” KP says.

“It was an amazing experience. We played in front of about 3000 people, a packed out stadium. I’ve never had anything more than probably 300 people.”

He says it was a “super motivating” opportunity.

“To play someone of that calibre, it was the first time that I've experienced and got to witness the quality that it requires. And it's nothing that's not possible to achieve.”

With that target firmly in mind, KP will head home to New Zealand in the next couple of weeks for a massive summer of tennis.

First on the agenda is the Wellington Open, followed by two ITF World Tennis Tour events in Wellington and Tauranga in the lead up to Christmas.

“I think it's going to be a great summer and I think Tennis New Zealand's taken great initiative, along with all the regions. The more people we get behind it, the better it will be for everyone, for future generations and the hype around tennis and all that good stuff,” KP says.

“It's pretty exciting for Kiwi tennis.”

The jewel in the crown this summer would be a wildcard entry into the ASB Classic in Auckland, which is an ATP 250 event.

KP will have to fight extra hard for that one – it is the golden ticket every professional tennis player in New Zealand is seeking.

The ASB Classic has a history of catapulting tennis careers.

“Having some good results there can almost send you right into the big leagues,” KP says.

But first, Wellington. That’s his focus.

“I would just like to encourage Wellingtonians and the local tennis community to come out and support,” he says.

“Come get behind the Kiwis.”

This will be his second trip home since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. He has spent a lot of time away.

So, will KP still have home-court advantage in the capital?

“Oh, absolutely,” he says.

“I mean, you've just got to look at the wind. It's the windiest city in the world and obviously I don't really mind playing in the wind too much.

“Growing up in Wellington and then playing in Wellington, I think you have a unique advantage.”

Of course, KP will also have his mum and the rest of his family sitting courtside, cheering his every shot, as they have done in Wellington ever since he was a kid.