Tennis Ace by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online Page A

tonight, okay?”
    His father frowned. “Hold on a minute, Champ. We were going to work on your serve-and-volley game for a while. I thought we’d
     find a practice court right now and —”
    Steve stared in disbelief. “
Right now
? I just ran myself into the ground a little while ago, getting into the finals, Dad. This can wait till tomorrow.” It was
     a rest day, before the finals.
    His father shook his head. “It’s better to concentrate on these problems while they’re still fresh in your mind. I think we
     should do it
now
.”
    Steve was hot and tired and decided that he wasn’t going to give in. “Dad, I’m all played out today. I need a break. So I’m
     going to the mall with Pat for a while, all right? I’ll see you at dinner, and you can give me your notes then, and we can
     work anytime tomorrow.”
    “But —,” began Mr. Greeley.
    Steve, however, had started running toward Pat. He grabbed Pat’s arm, forcing him to run with him. He didn’t slow up until
     they were out of sight of the tennis courts.
    “Whoa!” said Pat, catching his breath. “What wasthat all about? You just won a big match. How come your dad looked unhappy?”
    Steve scowled. “He wanted me to go practice some stuff with him, but I said I was going with you. He didn’t like it.”
    Pat whistled. “He wanted you to practice right after you’d played a long match? How come?”
    “That’s just how he is,” Steve said. “Dad wants me to be a big tennis star. He wants me to go to a tennis camp for the summer
     that a friend of his runs, and I don’t want to. I don’t like the idea of doing nothing all summer but playing tennis, talking
     about tennis, and dreaming about tennis.”
    Pat thought about it for a minute. “Have you told him the way you feel?”
    Steve sighed. “Nope. Not yet.”
    Pat stopped and turned to Steve. “Got any ideas on how and when you’re going to do it?”
    “Not a clue,” answered Steve. “That’s why I haven’t done it yet.”
    Pat chewed on his lower lip, a sign that he was doing some heavy thinking. “You ought to tell him soon. The longer you wait,
     the harder it’ll get.”
    Steve threw his hands out in frustration. “Youthink I don’t know that? I just … I wish I could … right now, I
can’t
. That’s all.”
    Pat studied his friend. “Just don’t wait too long, or you may find yourself living out your Dad’s plan and it’ll be too late.”

12
    O n the morning of the finals, Mr. Greeley announced another big surprise. He and Steve had worked out together the previous
     day and were at peace, for the moment.
    “Want to know who’ll be handing out your trophies today, after you win your titles?” he asked, sitting back and grinning at
     them.
    “
If
we win,” Steve corrected.
    His father’s smile disappeared. “I don’t want to hear any negative thinking at this table.”
    Steve exchanged a quick look with Ginny, but Ginny seemed to side with their father on this one.
    “The people presenting the trophies both worked with Vince, and he’s going to introduce them to you,” Mr. Greeley continued.
     “The boys’ trophies will be handed out by …
Billy Gardiner!
”
    Despite himself, Steve was impressed. Ginny squealed. “
Really
? All
right!
”
    Billy Gardiner had begun his pro career twelve years ago, about when Steve was born. He was always ranked in the top twenty
     and had made it up to number two for a while. But though he’d won some tournaments, he’d never quite gotten to the top. Still,
     he was a big name in the sport.
    “What about the girls’ trophies?” asked Ginny.
    “Dierdre Mulloy,” Mr. Greeley replied.
    “Dierdre Mulloy?” echoed Steve. “Didn’t she retire?”
    Ginny’s eyes flashed angrily. “She definitely did
not
retire! She’s making a comeback!”
    Dierdre Mulloy had burst on the pro scene three years earlier, at the age of fourteen. For two years she had played, and often
     beaten, the best women on the tour. Then