Bart amuses himself by running the hot and cold taps in the kitchen as Homer showers. Marge instructs Bart to stop torturing his father, then tells him to get ready for the talent show at the old folks’ home. Grampa ends up winning the contest and is awarded a certificate for a free autopsy. Homer takes his family to the mortuary, where he peruses the latest in caskets and cemeteries. Later, the salesman tallies up the bill…which totals $17,000. When Homer reacts with anguish, the salesman labels the cost “an investment in extravagance.” He then points out a nearby display model of a massive monument called the Mauso-palooza, which is constructed with the same amount of cement used in building a tennis court. With that, Homer decides the money is better spent on a tennis court…and has one built in the backyard

It isn’t long before people from throughout Springfield show up to use the Simpsons’ tennis court. Though Marge enjoys playing the game, Homer cannot keep himself from clowning around. But later, as Marge does some grocery shopping at the supermarket, she overhears several people mocking her family. When Marge returns home, she tells Homer that they are the laughing stock of the town. Instead of bringing the family respectability, the tennis court has made them the subject of ridicule. Marge urges Homer to take the game more seriously. Later, Homer announces that he entered him and Marge into a mixed-doubles tournament. Shortly thereafter, Homer accidentally rips off his under-pants. As he sets off to put on new clothes, he asks Bart to fill in for him. Bart, it turns out, is a natural at the game. When the day of the big tournament arrives, Marge announces that she and Bart are now partners. Homer is so disappointed, he falls to the floor and clings to the balls on Marge’s tennis socks. The balls break off in his hands. As Marge and Bart drive off, Homer throws the cotton sock balls at the car, breaking the back windshield. Realizing what he’s done, Homer takes refuge inside the house.

Marge and Bart return home with trophies in hand. The pair tell Homer that they will be participating in the upcoming Krusty Klassic, a charity for the victims of balcony collapse. Disappointed that he isn’t being asked to participate, a sobbing Homer runs up stairs and lies on Lisa’s bed, using it like an analyst’s couch. Lisa diagnoses him with classic oedipal anxiety. The next day, Homer and Lisa practice hitting tennis balls at crude satanic-looking caricatures of Marge and Bart. Homer, it turns out, is planning on entering the tournament for the sole purpose of hurting Marge. As the big game gets underway, Krusty introduces two of the brightest stars in the world of tennis, Venus and Serena Williams. Thinking quickly—and thinking only of winning—Homer dumps Lisa and replaces her with Venus. As the match gets underway, Homer simply rolls around the court, trying to stay out of Venus’ way. When Venus proves a formidable opponent, Bart replaces Marge with Serena. Not to be outdone, Marge replaces Bart with Pete Sampras. Then, Venus replaces Homer with Andre Agassi. The Simpsons then return home and watch the match on television…and realize the tennis court in their backyard brought them nothing but misery.