Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania was playing in his first Grand Slam junior final against Jerzy Janowicz of Poland, in front of approximately 250 fans out on court 11, the biggest crowd he’d ever played for in his life. But you’ll have to forgive him if he wasn’t overwhelmed by the occasion. Having trained recently with Roger Federer for two solid weeks in Dubai, anyone on the other side of the net other than “the God of tennis,’’ as Berankis calls Federer, is going to seem a little less intimidating.

That appeared to be the case today when Berankis, looking composed and playing smart, battled the error-prone Janowicz for the right to add his name to a list of US Open junior champions that includes current men’s stars Andy Roddick, Andrew Murray and Richard Gasquet.

Berankis found the range early on his groundstrokes and managed to break the big-serving 6-foot-6 Janowicz once in each set to take the match 6-3, 6-4.

“Just unbelievable feeling,’’ said the 17-year-old rising star from Lithuanian, who was playing the US Open juniors for just the second time. “Last year I played qualifying. I couldn't qualify. I lost first round. This year I won. Better,’’ he said, smiling.

Janowicz, just 16, had a dream run here. Ranked No. 46 in the world junior rankings, he won four straight three-set matches to reach the final. But while his 6-foot-6, lanky frame gives him a John Isner-like serve (he had six aces in the contest) he was no match for Berankis from the baseline. He also appeared a bit nervous at the start of the match. The Open was only his second junior Grand Slam tournament all year.

Janowicz dropped his opening service game, and not only could he not get the break back but he didn’t see a break point in the entire match. Janowicz picked up his game in the second set considerably. But while serving at 3-3, in what turned out to be the only break point of the entire second set for either player, Berankis blasted a winning backhand passing shot off a very hard-hit approach to get the lone break he would need to take the set.

“The mental side of his game was very sharp today,’’ said Berankis’s coach, Remigijus Balzeka. “He was dictating play, and he broke him at just the right time.’’

Berankis has been one of the most consistent juniors in Grand Slam events this year. He reached the semis of the Australian Open and Wimbledon junior events, and the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. But he hadn’t won an ITF junior event all year going into his two-week stint in the desert heat of Dubai practicing with the best player in the world. Since his workout with Federer, he’s won his last two tournaments, the Canadian Open and US Open juniors.

“When you see the No. 1 on the other side you're playing yourself, I think that gives you a lot of confidence.,’’ Berankis said.

After the match the Lithuanian was eager to get his first US Open press conference over with. He was expected on court again, just a half hour after his win, this time to warm up Federer for his finals match today against Novak Djokovic. He was also going to watch the men's final from Federer’s player’s box. And who would he be rooting for?

“Of course, I think I'm going to cheer for Roger because I know him better than Djokovic,’’ Berankis said.