US Open Juniors Episode 2: Finalists & Champions

Summary

Part two of ParentingAces’ 2025 US Open Juniors series features interviews with the finalists and champions across all four draws. Lisa Stone (joined by Colette Lewis and Michael Lewis) speaks with boys’ doubles finalists Ben Wilworth and Noah Johnston, boys’ singles finalist Alexander Basilev (Bulgaria, cousin of Grigor Dimitrov), girls’ singles finalist Leah Nielsen (Sweden), and boys’ doubles champions Keaton Hance and Jack Kennedy. The episode captures the mindset, preparation, and personal journeys of elite juniors competing at the highest stage.

Guest Background

Ben Wilworth & Noah Johnston — Boys’ doubles finalists (Americans). Noah is an incoming freshman at University of Georgia. Partners who feed off each other’s energy, known for “booty pats” that lighten the mood and often lead to winning the next point. Lost Kalamazoo final, used that experience as confidence fuel.

Alexander Basilev — Boys’ singles finalist from Bulgaria. Cousin of Grigor Dimitrov (last Bulgarian to win US Open Junior Boys Singles, 2008). Left-handed. Made Bulgarian Davis Cup team at junior age. Coached by Mikhail and Denislav (3-4 years). Learned from Wimbledon semifinal loss to manage phone/social media distractions.

Leah Nielsen — Girls’ singles finalist from Sweden. Came through qualifying. Extremely introverted and calm by nature. Lost first set 0-6 then came back to reach the final. Coach: Vilos Zepi. Hadn’t checked her phone since the third round.

Keaton Hance & Jack Kennedy — Boys’ doubles champions (Americans). Partners since 2022 Junior World Team (14-and-under), paired by accident when their intended partner got sick. Instant chemistry. Keaton from SoCal tennis family (parents are coaches at South Bay Tennis Center); Jack from Long Island, NY. Three separate interviews over the course of the tournament.

Key Topics

1. Partnership chemistry (Hance & Kennedy): Paired by accident at Junior Worlds 2022 when a teammate got sick. Played every deciding doubles match in Czech Republic. That pressure forged the partnership. “As soon as we played the first point, we literally knew we were the team.”

2. Bouncing back from singles losses for doubles: Both Kennedy and Hance discuss the discipline of compartmentalizing a singles loss to compete for your partner in doubles. “I would hate to let him down.” Giving space to process, then bringing energy back.

3. Mental composure under pressure (Basilev): Down in the first set, Basilev told himself “if not now, then when?” on match point. Slowed the tempo to deny opponent’s momentum. After winning semifinal, thought “one more to go — the job’s not finished.”

4. Managing phone and social media (Basilev & Nielsen): Both finalists deliberately avoided checking phones during the tournament. Basilev learned from Wimbledon that social media attention “played a bad joke.” Nielsen hadn’t looked at her phone since the third round. “Less people and less information is better for me.”

5. Staying present (Nielsen): Her advice to younger juniors: “Be in the present moment. Forget about the past. Focus on yourself because the result you cannot control.” Naturally introverted, doesn’t show big emotions, but internally “super happy.”

6. Confidence from peers’ success (Wilworth & Johnston): Seeing Kalamazoo finalists Cooper and Dax advance in the main draw gave them confidence: “We were right there with them and they’re beating these pros… saying that we could be there too.”

7. Credential logistics at Grand Slams: Practical discussion about how many credentials and grounds passes juniors receive at different slams (US Open: 3 credentials + 2 grounds passes daily; Australia most generous).

8. National pride (Basilev): First Bulgarian in US Open Junior final in 17 years (since Dimitrov). Also selected for Bulgaria Davis Cup team. “I didn’t imagine it, but I’m happy for our nation.”

9. Coach relationships: Basilev’s coaches Mikhail and Denislav are “not only coaches inside the court — they’re my friends outside the court.” Kennedy credits coach Greg (since the beginning) and USTA’s Jose Caballero.

10. Pro aspirations and the long view (Hance & Kennedy): Both 17-year-olds plan to transition to futures and challenger events. Both state pro tennis is the goal. Kennedy: “Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy the process. There’s another tournament next week.”

11. Tiebreak comeback (Hance & Kennedy championship match): Down 5-8 in the tiebreak, they told each other to stay positive no matter what, fight for every point, and have the most fun. Opponent missed a routine overhead at 7-8 — momentum shifted, they won.

Actionable Advice for Families

• Teach doubles as a development tool: The Hance-Kennedy partnership shows how doubles builds communication, resilience, and selflessness. Their accidental pairing became a championship team.
• Manage phone and social media during tournaments: Both finalists credited avoiding their phones with maintaining focus. Parents can support this by not pressuring for updates.
• Emphasize being present: Nielsen’s “be in the moment” philosophy helped her recover from 0-6 first set to reach a final. Teach children to process setbacks one point at a time.
• Use peers’ success as motivation, not jealousy: Wilworth and Johnston were genuinely happy for friends who advanced, and used it as confidence fuel for their own game.
• Compartmentalize singles and doubles: The ability to reset emotionally between events is a trainable skill. Give space to process loss, then re-engage.
• The job is not finished until it’s finished: Basilev’s refusal to celebrate the semifinal win models the mental discipline needed at elite levels.

INTENNSE Relevance

• Doubles as a development and retention strategy: The Hance-Kennedy story (accidental pairing becoming US Open champions) is a powerful case study for INTENNSE’s advocacy of doubles as a developmental pathway, not just a secondary event.
• Social media management for young athletes: Both Basilev and Nielsen’s phone avoidance strategies are relevant to INTENNSE’s work helping families navigate the pressures of digital exposure during competition.
• International junior pipeline: Basilev’s Bulgarian pathway (small country, consistent coaching, Davis Cup selection at junior age) contrasts with American fragmentation — relevant to INTENNSE’s competitive landscape analysis.
• College-to-pro transition: Johnston starting at Georgia while still competing in Grand Slam juniors illustrates the increasingly blurred line between college and professional pathways. Wilworth and Johnston citing Cash/Tracy in US Open men’s doubles as proof of college-to-pro viability.
• Credential/logistics intelligence: Practical Grand Slam credential information (tickets, passes by tournament) is useful operational knowledge for INTENNSE families navigating their first slam experiences.

Notable Quotes

“If not now, then when?” — Alexander Basilev, on his third match point in the semifinal

“Be in the present moment. Forget about the past. Focus on yourself because the result you cannot control.” — Leah Nielsen

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Enjoy the process. There’s another tournament next week and another practice tomorrow. It’s just a new day every day.” — Jack Kennedy