What’s the most precious thing for a tennis player? Their racket, of course! Any player would be furious if something happened to their gear, and one British tennis star recently found herself in that exact nightmare. A routine flight turned disastrous when the airline she was traveling with left her equipment completely wrecked, leaving $100 in damages.

Olivia Nicholls was travelling through JetStar Airlines after her stint at the United Cup. However, as she wasn’t allowed to take her racket bag as a carry-on, she had to pay 160 AUD( $100), to check in the bag. After her flight, when she received the bag, the condition of her rackets was in shambles. Nicholls didn’t hold back in sharing her frustration on social media.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), she wrote, “This is unacceptable @JetstarAirways. 160AUD to check in because I’m not allowed to take it as carry on, and you deliver my bag like this? How is this possible. My bag and rackets are totally destroyed.”

Before this travel mishap, Olivia Nicholls was making waves on the tennis court. The British doubles specialist recently represented Great Britain at the United Cup. Team Great Britain had a solid start, overcoming Argentina in their opening tie with a 2-1 victory. Later the 30-year-old who was partnered up with Charles Broom battled Australia’s Alex De Minaur and Olivia Gadecki in a mixed doubles face-off.

Despite their valiant effort, the Australians took the match 6-3, 7-6(3) to seal a comeback victory. Despite this setback, the team made the quarterfinals of the tournament. Meanwhile, teammate Katie Boulter delivered a valiant performance in a singles match against five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek. Boulter came agonizingly close to pulling off a stunning upset, but Swiatek prevailed, ending Great Britain’s run at the United Cup.

Before the 2025 season kicked off, the 2024 season had been a milestone year for Olivia Nicholls.

Olivia Nicholls’s is crowned British doubles No.1 player

The 2024 season had been a milestone year for Olivia Nicholls. She climbed to the top of British doubles rankings, cementing her position as the No. 1 British doubles player. Nicholls had previously shared the top spot with her former partner, Alicia Barnett, back in December 2022. But this year, she took sole ownership of the title, surpassing former teammate Heather Watson.

Reflecting on her achievement, Nicholls said, “I’m really proud. It’s a nice reward for all of the hard work this year.”

Her rise to the top wasn’t a fluke. Nicholls delivered consistent performances throughout the season. Back in March, she claimed her second WTA title alongside Australia’s Olivia Gadecki at the ATX Open in Austin, Texas. A week later, she bagged another trophy at the WTA 125 Charleston tournament. Nicholls capped off the season with a career-high doubles world ranking of No. 39, a testament to her strong performances on the court.

The 30-year-old has been making her mark in doubles over the last few years. In 2023, she reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon mixed doubles alongside Jonny O’Mara. Her role in Great Britain’s Billie Jean King Cup team was also pivotal, helping them reach the semi-finals in Glasgow in 2022.

As the Australian Open approaches, the British player will be looking to build on her success. Last year, she made it to the first round of the women’s doubles. With the tournament starting on January 12, she’ll be eager to surpass that result and start her Grand Slam journey on a high note.