Huntington's Jack Kennedy climbing ranks in junior tennis after French Open doubles run
PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 03: Jack Kennedy of the United States in action against Thijs Boogaard of Netherlands during the Boy's Singles Second Round match on Day Ten of the 2025 French Open at Roland Garros on June 03, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images/Daniel Kopatsch
Jack Kennedy is climbing the ranks in junior tennis after an extended run in the French Open doubles tournament earlier this month.
The 17-year-old from Huntington reached the semifinals with partner Keaton Hance, and Kennedy is hoping to build on that success at Wimbledon next month and the U.S. Open later this summer.
"It was a really great moment," Kennedy said in a phone interview last week. "[I was] super happy to be in the semifinals of the biggest tournament for us as a junior."
Kennedy and Hance, a 17-year-old from California, were seeded third in the doubles bracket. After two straight-sets victories, they lost to the eventual champions Oskari Paldanius of Finland and Alan Wazny of Poland, 6-1, 6-2, in the semis.
“We had a great tournament that week and I was just really happy to share the court with him at a Grand Slam,” Kennedy said of Hance.
Kennedy said that he and Hance have been playing together for about three years.
"I have a lot of confidence in Jack as my doubles partner," Hance said by phone. "I think we did everything we could to get as far as we can; the guys we lost to were playing pretty dang well. I’m really happy with how me and Jack did.”
Kennedy's coach, Greg Lumpkin, said Kennedy and Hance are among the top junior doubles teams in the world and the experience at Roland Garros will only help them grow.
“I think it was definitely a really positive experience just to get to play in a semifinal and feel that pressure in that moment, but bittersweet because losing always hurts,” Lumpkin said by phone. “The boys are so proud of the run they made. They’ve been such good friends so to do it together makes it even more special.”
Kennedy, who will attend the University of Virginia in the fall, is the No. 9-ranked junior in singles after finishing the 2024 season at 19.
Kennedy made his U.S. Open debut last year at 16, losing in the first round of the qualifiers and the junior tournament. Still, Kennedy said the experience was "really special. To play pretty much in my backyard — you know, I’ve been coming to this tournament since I was 6 years old, so it’s really a special moment to walk out onto that court and hit a couple balls.”
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