Nicole Melichar Martinez

Nicole Melichar Martinez: Doubles Promoter and Dedicated Floridian

Jun 03, 2025

Over the course of the Open Era of professional tennis, we’ve seen some clear and distinct divides form in the sport. There are some notable examples, including equal prize money and treatment between women and men, and the same rights for top ranked players and lower tiers of the game. But one of the most overshadowed issues surrounding tennis is the clear separation between singles and doubles. All aspects are different between the two, such as prize money, media and promotional opportunities, and even the amount of people who watch doubles matches compared to singles. It’s no secret that doubles specialists get the short end of the stick. This was one of the key topics that I discussed with Florida-based player, grand slam champion, and top women’s doubles athlete Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

Born in Brno, Czech Republic, Melichar-Martinez moved to the US at a young age and found success on the junior stage in both singles and doubles. The state of Florida turned out to be the perfect environment to foster her career. “I grew up in Florida so I’m as Floridian as you get without being born here,” she said. “The weather here is fantastic year round, especially in the winter.” Compared to the cooler temperatures of Brno, the Bradenton-residing star was able to enjoy all the benefits of living in the state’s tennis mecca, and this undoubtedly contributed to the path she’s on right now.

Photo courtesy of Nicole Melichar-Martinez.

With fifteen WTA titles, two grand slam finals, and a Wimbledon mixed doubles title under her belt, Melichar-Martinez has found success on the highest stage of the sport. Despite this, she isn’t always satisfied with how doubles players are treated. “Marketing is the biggest reason doubles aren't well presented. People follow who they know, so if they start showing more doubles matches and these doubles teams, people will get to know them…we can try to promote ourselves but it is hard to do it yourself,” she said. So in addition to the enormous responsibility of being a professional tennis player alone, with 30-plus weeks away from home fighting for every ranking point, every trophy, and every paycheck, the 31-year-old has assigned herself a monumental task: being an advocate for doubles players. And it’s working.

With her coach and husband, Carlos Martinez, the duo frequently post interactive content on social media. Recent posts discuss topics such as doubles play strategizing, tips for avoiding injury, and controlling emotions during difficult on-court situations. And while her mission is on a steady path, recently Melichar-Martinez hasn’t had the most successful start to 2025 on court, and she’s blunt about that. “Right now, my ranking has dropped a little bit. I haven’t had a great start to the year, and I’m even outside the top 20 right now which sort of hurts my heart! I need to get on my feet a little bit,” she explained. But regaining a little bit of her momentum isn’t just the only thing she wants. She’s ready to succeed the milestones she’s already accomplished. “I want to win a grand slam in doubles. I’ve played two finals already, so that’s definitely my main goal. Like anybody, I also want to get to number one in the world.”

Part of getting back up inside the top ten, which is top on the priority list, is taking time to train and relaxing in the spare moments away from the demanding schedule. And returning back to home is crucial. “Whether a junior, a pro, a recreational player, or even an old person…no matter what level you are you’ll always have someone to practice with. And the facilities are really good, there are so many public courts available everywhere, the access to playing is just fantastic.”