British doubles player Olivia Nicholls is hoping to build on the successes of 2025 at the start of the new tennis season in Australia.
Nicholls and partner Tereza Mihalikova won the Berlin Open, made the final in Indian Wells and also enjoyed a run to the third round of the French Open women’s doubles, even though the 31-year-old cites grass as her favourite surface.
She is now ranked 26 in women’s doubles by the WTA, having reached a career-best 23 last summer, and will play for Great Britain at the United Cup in Perth and then a tournament in Hobart before the Australian Open begins on 12 January.
“There’s always room for improvement and you’ll always be looking to get those extra one or two per cent and trying to do better,” she told BBC Radio Norfolk.
“My aunt and uncle are in Perth, it’s almost like a home away from home for me. Last year, Great Britain played Australia so my uncle, who’s Australian, might have had split loyalties, but fortunately this year they’re in the other group so my family are going to be fully on my side this time.”
Nicholls, from Norwich, first teamed up with Mihalikova in 2024 and believes their styles on the court complement each other.
“Not only that, she’s a great girl – we get on very well off the court and I’m actually going to be a bridesmaid at her wedding. All of these things come into play and it makes my life much easier having a great partner,” she said.
“I know some teams manage it where they don’t necessarily get on that well off the court but make it work on the court – we’re lucky enough to have both where I have a great partner on the court and also a great friendship off it.
“When you’re travelling so many weeks of the year, it’s quite important to have a good set-up off the court because there’s a lot of down time, and hotel rooms, and dinners in different places and it makes a huge difference to have that nice support network off the court as well.”
Nicholls – who reached last year’s Australian Open mixed doubles semi-finals with Essex’s Henry Patten – represented Great Britain in the last four of the Billie Jean King Cup in 2022 and 2024, but was not involved last year when Jodie Burrage and Francesca Jones were the nominated doubles pairing.
She hopes to be involved again in 2026 and believes British women’s tennis is in a “great place”.
“There’s a lot of girls doing very well, Emma (Raducanu), Sonay Kartal, Katie Boulter, Fran Jones – a lot of players up for selection which makes it competitive, makes you have to work harder to get your spot,” Nicholls added.
