Kathy Bardy and Julia Redmond have been best friends since first grade in spite of vast differences in their backgrounds and talents. Julia is wealthy, beautiful, and an only child who does well in school without trying hard. Kathy's middle-class parents both work in the family business; she has a younger brother and sister, and she struggles through school. When the book opens they are ending their freshman year in a public high school.

Kathy had never played tennis until her talent was discovered at a tennis clinic. An eccentric tennis coach encourages her, takes her on for private lessons, and arranges for her to work at the club to pay for her membership.

Kathy trains for at least twenty hours a week and works long hours at the club.

With the exception of outbursts of temper that come quickly and uncontrollably when angered...