"The racquet was as big as I was," Jennifer, now 22, laughs. Her parents quickly noticed how good she was and made sure she got her own tennis racquet for Christmas.

So it came as no surprise that Jennifer graduated from the University of Florida a semester early to join the professional rank of women's tennis.

"I've always wanted to play tennis," Jennifer says. "I'd beg my dad to shovel the snow off the courts at the park so we could play tennis."

And while many 7- or 8-year-olds were sleeping till the last minute, Jennifer woke up early to squeeze in an hour and a half of practice. "I went to the basement and hit the ball against our wall. And then I'd practice another hour and a half after I got home from school."

The Rules
"We have two rules in our family," Jennifer says. "The first one is TRY HARD, and the second one is HAVE FUN. If the rules are broken, we stop and re-evaluate our purpose for doing whatever it is we're doing. So if there comes a time I'm not trying hard in the game of tennis, or I'm not having fun, I need to rethink why I'm playing professionally."

Getting To Know Her
Though it may sound as if Jennifer is consumed with tennis, she also has several other interests. "I've been involved in tap, jazz, modeling and acting." When she was younger, Jennifer modeled for Little Tyke's, the American Heart Association and Jessica McClintock. She most recently modeled for Sports Scheke, the largest sports catalog in Germany.

But let's get back to tennis.

Jennifer's game eventually improved to the level that she and her family had to move out of Kansas to get her the proper training she needed. "There are age divisions in tennis," she says. "I was 12 but playing against 18-year-olds and doing great. So we moved to Florida, and I began year-round training at the IMG Academy (Nick Bollettieri's academy -- famous for training several pro tennis players).

"I was 13 years old at the time and received a scholarship. This was really unusual, because they weren't giving out scholarships. The cost was $50,000 a year, so I was really fortunate to receive the scholarship that made my training possible."

Jennifer met teens from around the world who had moved to Florida to train with hopes of someday turning pro. "It was a sacrifice for my family. We had a beautiful home in Lawrence, Kan., yet they were willing to leave that, and all six of us moved into a small apartment because they believed in me."

She was the first girl and the youngest player to be accepted to the highest level of the ICA. "I was one of the only Americans. I was also the only Christian," she says. "I dove into the Bible and prayed, 'God, what do You want to do with my life?' I applied His Word to my life and began sharing my faith with those around me. Words speak a lot, but our actions scream. Because of the language barrier, I wasn't always able to talk with students from Russia, Africa, France and Israel, but I prayed they'd see God in me. They began noticing something different about me, and the Lord used my lifestyle as a positive influence."

Jennifer represented the United States in more than 15 different countries while training at the academy. Her dedication to the game and her determination to be Jesus to those around her carried into college.

"Our ultimate purpose," she says, "is to show how Christ is able to move and work in our lives. I want Him to shine through every area of my life on and off the tennis court."

On Campus
Jennifer graduated from college in just three and a half years with honors. "But I sacrificed a lot," she says. "I trained for seven hours a day, six days a week. I missed a lot of birthday parties and holidays, but if you're going to do something, do it all the way. I have no regrets."

A tennis racquet isn't the only thing Jennifer sports. She also wears a purity ring, symbolizing her intent to abstain from sexual activity until she's married.

"At first, people at college didn't understand. But when they eventually saw I wouldn't compromise by beliefs and standards, they began to respect me.

"I've read lots of books on sexual purity and dating, and I'm fascinated with high standards. I've put a lot of prayer into this. I've purposely formed relationships based on my beliefs rather than physical attraction. I'm very upfront with guys. 'Listen,' I'll say, 'I'm pure till I'm married.' I don't care what guys think. Nothing's going to change my standards."

Once Jennifer's honest character and pure reputation got around campus, she earned the respect of other students. "I think of myself being accountable to my future children," she says. "Someday they'll ask me questions about my purity, and I'll have to answer them. I want to be a good mom and wife. I want to be able to look at them with no shame and no guilt."

Her Pro Workout
Moving into the professional ranks requires a lot of hard work. Here's Jennifer's daily schedule:

7 a.m. Eat breakfast. (two scoops of Raisin Bran, water, orange juice and vitamins)

8 – 9:30 Work out with trainer, concentrating on speed, agility work and weights.

9:30 Run personal errands.

10-11:30 Work on whatever her game is lacking and also hits with a partner.

11:30-12:30 Lunch with Mom at Bradenton Christian School near the academy. (chicken salad sandwich on croissant, water, Baked Lays chips)

1 – 3 p.m. Practice. Then stretch and go to the gym for shoulder exercises. Shower and come back to Bradenton Christian School to watch her younger brother play basketball.

Evening: Dinner with her family. (Mom's homemade spaghetti with meat sauce with a tablespoon of mixed vegetables, salad, rolls, apple juice and water.) Later, go over her schedule for the forthcoming months, talk with Mom, see friends, read the Bible.

On the Court
Serve clocked at: 115 mph (That's as fast as Serena Williams' serve!)

Strongest part of game: her powerful forehand and her unwillingness to give up.

Winning factor: her determination. A tennis match can take from 50 minutes to three hours. She has incredible long-term focus.

Weakest part of game: backhand on the run

On Being Bullied
"I'm so honored to be in Brio. There were times I just didn't fit in during my teen years, and I always looked forward to getting Brio each month. It was such an encouragement to me," Jennifer says.

"When I was in the sixth grade, I was threatened and bullied because I stood up for a girl who was being made fun of by a pack of other girls. They were laughing at her because she'd been home-schooled. She made her own clothes. They were picking at her hair and pushing her. So I stood up for her. The pack told me they'd kill me; that my life was over. Guess what helped me through it! Brio magazine! I'm so grateful I had that. It helped me realize that other girls were standing up for what's right, too."

Changing a Bully
"When I was a freshman at the University of Florida, I was the only girl in the cafeteria one evening. Some of the football guys were there, and they decided to try to get a rise out of me, so they started throwing food at me. I began praying for them. Lord, don't let me want to get even. You deal with them. Just use me.

"Guess what! God gave me the idea to begin cooking for them! I started a thing called Soul Sundays. I made dinner for them in my dorm. It was so fun! All these athletes coming into my dorm seeing Scripture all over the walls. I made sure we all prayed before they could eat. I'd kid them and say, 'You thought you wouldn't have Mama's cooking till November! Dig in!' They loved it.

"Today, I see many of those same guys playing in the NFL, and I know they remember Soul Sundays. And that same 350-lb. lineman who threw food at me when I was a freshman, ended up calling me a few years later asking me to pray for his mom.

"They were able to see that I had fun without drinking and smoking, and they began to respect me. I never think about what people are thinking. I just try to focus on what's right."

More Scoop on Jennifer
* Jennifer uses a two-handed background.

* She drinks more than a gallon of water a day.

* Jennifer is sponsored by Prince racquets.

* She was ranked No. 1 in college tennis in the United States in 2005.

* She has to be ranked in the top 200 players in the world to make money in tennis. It will take Jennifer almost two years to begin making money from professional tennis.

* She snacks on: tuna fish, cinnamon raisin bagels, Yoplait strawberry yogurt, cheese sticks, apple juice and sliced ham. She has no cookies, candy or soft drinks in her home.

* On her iPod: tobymac, Kirk Franklin's Hero; lots of music in other languages. "I like the world feel," she says. "I don't understand it, but I love the beat and the rhythm."

* Favorite Bible verse: "I can do everything through him who gives me strength" (Philippians 4:13).

Stuff to Think About
"We need to look at what we do when no one's watching. I know what's wrong because of what the Bible says. It's not about getting caught; the real issue is simply being obedient to Christ."

"The biggest factor missing in pro women's tennis today is joy. I don't see a lot of joy on the court. Most players aren't having fun. I want to have fun. I'm a complete person because of my relationship with Christ, not simply because I'm a professional tennis player."