Conrad Weiser's Emma Perkins 'honored' to be part of Madison Keys Court of Dreams Celebration of Tennis

Jul. 14—Emma Perkins was asked about the size of the largest crowd she has played tennis in front of.

The rising Conrad Weiser junior mentioned the PIAA Tournament, then nodded and smiled when the interviewer said, "So like parents, maybe aunt and uncle, and some teammates?"

That figures to change Friday when Perkins is one of two junior players who will be participating in the Madison Keys Court of Dreams Celebration of Tennis event in Charles City, Iowa.

Play begins on the grass court at the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club at 2 p.m. Keys, the 2017 U.S. Open runner-up from nearby Rock Island, Ill., is the headliner for the multiple-match exhibition that is promoting positive self-esteem and mental health awareness.

"I'm feeling very honored," said Perkins, a two-time Berks Player of the Year, in an interview with Alex Gruskin on Cracked Racquets.

Perkins will play with Keys, WTA player Caty McNally and Maya Mallavarapu, a junior player and state doubles champ from Cedar Falls, Iowa, in a doubles exhibition.

"It's incredible," Perkins said of playing with Keys. "I've been watching Madison Keys since I started tennis. She's an inspiration to me and a ton of other players around the world, especially Americans because there's not that many Americans that you see on the big screen.

"Again, I'm just really honored to get this opportunity to see one of my idols."

Keys, 27, has been ranked as high as No. 7 in the world, has won six WTA tournament titles and finished fourth at the 2016 Olympics. She reached the Australian Open semifinals this year and beat Wimbledon champ Elena Rybakina in the third round of the French Open.

McNally, 20, has won five WTA Tour doubles titles, three while playing with Coco Gauff. The duo reached the final at last year's U.S. Open. McNally has been ranked as high as No. 11 in the world in doubles and No. 104 in singles.

Perkins teamed with Alex Pancu to win the PIAA Class 2A doubles title in 2020, and was a finalist with Michelle Timothy in 2021.

In addition to being on the court with accomplished pros, Perkins will also be dealing with playing on a largely unfamiliar surface. The court was built by Mark Kuhn on his family's farm and is the only Wimbledon rye grass court in North America.

"I really haven't played on grass a lot," she said. "That being said, this court is very nice. I feel very grateful to be on this kind of surface for one of the first times and we'll see how it goes."

The event began Thursday with a youth clinic and a symposium on mental health.

All proceeds will benefit the All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club Foundation and Kindness Wins.

Kindness Wins is a nonprofit organization created by Keys that supports and encourages acts of kindness at a grass-roots level.

"I feel like the cause is very good," Perkins said of the focus on mental health. "It's something that I feel most young players and people struggle with now. So, it's very good and I'm happy to be here for it."

Perkins is part of a sizable Berks contingent in Iowa.

Ryan Knarr, the Berks County Tennis Association president and the Conrad Weiser boys and girls tennis coach, is the event director. This is the third year in a row he is directing a tournament at the Court of Dreams.

Reading's Don Hutchison, who was a broadcaster at the previous two Knarr-directed events in Iowa, will partner with Gruskin on the broadcast of Friday's matches on Cracked Racquets (crackedracquets.com).

Bill Snook of Reading is on the photography staff.

Nathan Healey, who is married to Berks native Marnie Heller-Healey and is living in Wyomissing this summer, is a coach and former pro player from Australia who will be one of two male players in the event, along with KP Pannu of New Zealand.

Healey served as Lleyton Hewitt's coach for a year and also beat Roger Federer in a junior event.

Marnie Heller-Healey is the daughter of the late Merv Heller, the founder of the BCTA and former president of the USTA.

Pannu played in last summer's Lotto Elite Pro Tennis Challenge in Wyomissing.

"It's just a special moment here," Knarr said in an interview posted by Cracked Racquets, "using tennis as a platform to play for something bigger than yourself."