Their father, who was a real estate financier, relocated the family to California when she was 11 years of age and she attended Rexford School in Beverly Hills.

[1] Tenney turned professional at the age of 15 in 1973 and made the quarter-finals of her first event, the Virginia Slims of Houston.

She was eliminated from the tournament by Billie Jean King, who a day earlier had played the famous Bobby Riggs match.

She made the round of 16 in the mixed doubles at the 1974 Wimbledon Championships, partnering Billy Martin.

She competed for the United States in the 1977 Maccabiah Games in Israel, losing in women's singles to Dana Gilbert.