Seventeen-year-old tennis player Katya is forced to quit the sport. Her family has no money, no connections, and not even the will to fight for her dream of becoming a professional athlete. Tennis has now become a means of survival for her. Posing as a beginner, Katya travels to private courts in Moscow and beats wealthy amateurs for money. One of these "combat" matches is witnessed by former professional athlete Igor Strelnikov, a weary coach who has long dreamed of finding a truly gifted child. Upon seeing Katya, he realizes she is the "diamond in the rough" and his chance to return to the world of professional sports. Igor places the biggest bet of his career on Katya.
