Nicole Melichar-Martinez
An American doubles specialist who mastered the art of the net game to rise to the top 10 and claim a Wimbledon crown.
Born 1993 (age 33)·American tennis player·Birthday: July 29·Millennials
Biography
Nicole Melichar-Martinez built a formidable career not with thunderous groundstrokes, but with sharp reflexes, clever volleys, and tactical intelligence at the net. Specializing in doubles from the start, she methodically climbed the rankings with a series of partners, her game perfectly suited to the quick exchanges and angled poaches of elite doubles. Her crowning moment came at the 2018 Wimbledon Championships, where she won the mixed doubles title, a victory that announced her arrival among the world's best. She solidified that status by breaking into the WTA's top 10 in doubles, a consistent presence at major tournaments and a winner of over a dozen tour-level titles. Her career is a masterclass in doubles specialization.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Nicole was born in 1993, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nicole Was Born
The biggest hits of 1993
#1 Movie
Jurassic Park
Best Picture
Schindler's List
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Nicole's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1993Born
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1998Started school
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2006Became a teenager
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2009Could drive
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2011Could vote
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2014Turned 21
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2023Turned 30
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 33 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the Wimbledon mixed doubles championship in 2018 with partner Alexander Peya.
- Achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 6 in July 2023.
- Has won 17 WTA Tour doubles titles with various partners across different surfaces.
- Represented the United States in the Billie Jean King Cup and at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Did You Know?
She was born in the Czech Republic before moving to the United States as a child.
Melichar-Martinez is a left-handed player with a strong two-handed backhand.
She played college tennis for one year at the University of Virginia before turning professional.
“Doubles is a chess match; you have to anticipate and cut off the angles.”
