The All-England Club at Wimbledon has witnessed an intriguing collaboration on the tennis courts, as Norwich City fan Olivia Nicholls and Ipswich Town supporter Henry Patten have united for the mixed doubles event. Despite their football allegiances, the pair have cast aside their differences to concentrate on their mutual love for tennis.
Following a triumph over fellow British pair Julian Cash and Maia Lumsden, Nicholls and Patten are slated to compete against second seeds Michael Venus and Erin Routliffe in the upcoming round. Expressing her astonishment at Patten’s restrained banter and lack of taunts, given Ipswich Town’s recent accomplishments, Nicholls, 29, commented, “He’s not giving me as much abuse and banter as I thought he might, especially after a great season for Ipswich, getting promotion – it kills me to say it.”
The duo’s partnership traces back to their childhood tennis tournaments, and they have long aspired to team up at Wimbledon. Reflecting on their journey, Nicholls remarked, “We’ve been trying to line this up for a few years now. Me and Henry used to play all of the same tournaments together in East Anglia in the summers, so to be going from Frinton, Felixstowe, Cromer to Court 18 at Wimbledon, we couldn’t have dreamed of something like that happening.”
Adapting to the capricious British weather, Patten, who stands at 6ft 6in, acknowledged the challenges of the tournament, stating, “Everyone is getting pretty used to the rain. It’s definitely a skill in itself to be able to stay alert, stay awake, stay ready to go. As Brits, we have a slight advantage in that as we’ve been doing that, as Liv said, since we were probably eight years old in all of those places.”
In addition to their mixed doubles triumph, Patten has also advanced to the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles, while Nicholls, partnered with Tereze Mihalikova, experienced a defeat in the third round of the women’s doubles.
Despite their football affiliations, the atmosphere during the match with Cash and Lumsden was one of camaraderie and mutual respect. Patten remarked, “I think they were just enjoying the chemistry that the two teams had, there was a bit of banter going back and forth and it’s not often that an Ipswich fan and a Norwich fan get along so well.”
The extraordinary partnership between Nicholls and Patten serves as a heartwarming example of sportsmanship and shared passion transcending traditional rivalries. As they progress in their Wimbledon journey, their ability to set aside their football disparities sets an inspiring precedent for fans and athletes alike.
Interview by BBC English Regions’ Victoria Polley at the All England Club.