Mike Dickson: Tributes paid to ‘doyen’ of tennis journalism after death at Australian Open

Tributes have poured in for much-loved British tennis writer Mike Dickson who has died suddenly at the Australian Open.

British tennis writer Mike Dickson, with Roger Federer, has died in Melbourne at the age of 59. Picture: Supplied

Tributes have been paid to legendary British tennis writer, Mike Dickson, who has died at the Australian Open.

Dickson died suddenly while covering the opening Grand Slam of the year. He was 59.

“We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and Dad, Mike, has collapsed and died while in Melbourne for the Aus Open,” Dickson’s wife Lucy tweeted.

“For 38 years he lived his dream covering sport all over the world. He was a truly great man and we will miss him terribly. Lucy, Sam, Ruby and Joe.”

British tennis writer Mike Dickson, with Roger Federer, has died in Melbourne at the age of 59. Picture: Supplied

Dickson, who lived in Wimbledon, was a cricket correspondent at the Daily Mail before moving to tennis. The newspaper said he covered 30 different sports across nearly 50 countries in total.

Dickson joined the Daily Mail in London 1990 and covered a variety of sports, most notably cricket, before dedicating himself to tennis in 2007. The paper described Dickson as “Mr Wimbledon” in reporting his sudden death in Melbourne.

British tennis writer Mike Dickson, with Andy Murray, has been described as the "doyen" of tennis journalism. Picture: Supplied

Lee Clayton, the Daily Mail’s global publisher for sport, said “the world of tennis will join us in mourning.”

“He was a giant of a journalist,” Clayton wrote.

Dickson was in Melbourne covering the Australian Open when he died 10 days before his 60th birthday, on January 27.

Tributes were paid across social media after the death of the much-loved reporter.

Piers Morgan tweeted in reply to the Dickson family: “So sorry to hear this. Mike was a terrific journalist. RIP.”

We are shocked and saddened to hear of the sudden passing of Mike, our long-standing colleague and friend. Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family.

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 17, 2024

So sorry to hear this. Mike was a terrific journalist. RIP.

— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) January 17, 2024

Respected British tennis writer Mike Dickson has died at the Australian Open. Picture: Supplied

The former tennis player Laura Robson said: “Truly devastating news. Can’t believe it. All my thoughts with Mike’s family.”

The Daily Mail’s chief sports writer, Oliver Holt, wrote: “I am so sorry for your loss. Mike was a great man. He was also a wonderful, valued colleague, brilliant, funny, laconic company and a hugely talented journalist who was admired by everyone who worked with him and read his work. x.”

Mike Dickson, with Andy Murray, was a favourite of the players. Picture: Supplied

Tennis writers who had been working alongside Dickson in Melbourne this week expressed their shock and hailed a “brilliant reporter” and “tremendous friend”.“Crushing news,” wrote Simon Briggs from The Telegraph in London. “Dicko was the doyen. More importantly, a very special human being. We will all miss him terribly.”

Dickson wrote the story of Emma Raducanu’s astonishing US Open win in his book Emma Raducanu: When Tennis Came Home, and his final piece for the Daily Mail was on Raducanu’s resurgence at the Australian Open this week.

Originally published as Mike Dickson: Tributes paid to ‘doyen’ of tennis journalism after death at Australian Open