Rising Stars 2025
Get ready for an electrifying evening of tennis prowess and community spirit! The Alex O'Brien Tennis Foundation proudly presents the 2025 Rising Stars Charity Exhibition, a thrilling event showcasing the future of tennis, set to take place on December 6, 2025, at the prestigious Amarillo Country Club. Witness four of the sport's most promising talents – Danny Milavsky, Kristina Penickova, Ben Willwerth, and Annika Penickova – as they light up the court with their incredible skills and competitive fire. This is your exclusive opportunity to see these rising stars up close while supporting the Alex O'Brien Tennis Foundation's vital mission to foster tennis development in our community. Secure your tickets and explore impactful sponsorship opportunities today to be a part of this unforgettable experience and help cultivate the next generation of tennis champions!
Meet Our Players
DANNY MILAVSKY
Danny’s tennis journey is nothing short of impressive. He’s achieved a top collegiate singles ranking of #21 and a doubles high of #4, earning unanimous First-Team All-Ivy honors in both. He was named New England Senior Player of the Year (2025) after being recognized as Most Improved (2024). On the pro tour, Danny has already earned four singles titles and five doubles titles, with a career-high singles ranking of 411 and doubles high of 330, including a finalist run at the Winston-Salem Challenger.
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Ben Willwerth
Ben has quickly made a name for himself on the world stage, reaching the finals at three of the sport’s biggest junior events — the Australian Open, French Open, and US Open — all in doubles. Known for his powerful net play and calm composure under pressure, Ben has represented the United States at the highest levels of junior tennis. With impressive ATP and ITF results already under his belt, he’s a rising talent to watch as he moves into the professional ranks. We can’t wait to welcome him to Amarillo!
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Annika Penickova
Annika started the 2024 season with a bit of an injury, causing her to miss a few events. She found her form at the 2024 US Open, where she made a run to the quarterfinals. Annikahas continued great form into the 2025 year, reaching the Quarterfinals in Traralgon, and reached two back-to-back finals in Brazil earlier this year.
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Kristina Penickova
In 2024, Kristina had a breakthrough year, making a run at the 2024 Roland Garros to the semifinals and catapulting her ranking up to 11 on the junior ITF circuit. As we turned into 2025, Kristina followed up a strong run to the finals of the Australian Open. She’s currently ranked world number 7.
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