British tennis star rages as rackets 'totally destroyed' after paying £80 airline fee

British tennis star Olivia Nicholls raged at Jetstar Airways ahead of the Hobart International

British tennis star Olivia Nicholls was left raging after her rackets were “totally destroyed” during a flight. The 30-year-old is the highest-ranked British women’s doubles player in the world, having climbed to No. 39. Nicholls is set to team up with Slovakian ace Tereza Mihalikova at the Hobart International in Australia, with the tournament getting underway on Monday. But her preparations were dealt a huge blow just two days before the start of the event.

Nicholls jetted off to Australia ahead of the tournament but wasn’t allowed to carry her rackets onto the airplane as she paid £80 to have them stored away from her.

And when they were eventually returned on the other side of the world, they weren’t in the same condition as they were when the plane had taken off. Nicholls took to X (formerly Twitter) to post two images of her damaged Babolat rackets. And she fumed at the airline she flew with as 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.”

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Olivia Nicholls has represented Great Britain in the last three editions of the Billie Jean King Cup

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Nicholls made her WTA Tour debut at the Lyon Open in 2022 and reached the third round of the Wimbledon and US Open women’s doubles this year. In 2023, she progressed all the way to the Wimbledon mixed doubles semi-finals alongside partner Jonny O'Mara, with the duo exiting the tournament at the hands of eventual champions Mate Pavic and Lyudmyla Kicheno. The talented ace has also represented Great Britain at the last three editions of the Billie Jean King Cup.

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