The Daily Mail reported that legendary tennis correspondent Mike Dickson passed away last week at the age of 59. 

The reporter died just over a week before celebrating his 60th birthday while covering the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Wife "devastated" by husband's death

Dickson's death was announced by his wife Lucy in a post on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter.

"We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and Dad, Mike, has collapsed and died while in Melbourne for the Aus Open. For 38 years he lived his dream covering sport all over the world," she wrote.

We are devastated to announce that our wonderful husband and Dad, Mike, has collapsed and died while in Melbourne for the Aus Open. 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.

— Mike Dickson (@Mike_Dickson_DM) January 17, 2024

Lee Clayton is the global publisher of Sport DMG Media, and he posted a tribute of his own to Dickson, calling him "everything you want a correspondent to be--a brilliant news hound, a terrific writer and a friend to so many in his sport."

"The world of tennis will join us in mourning," Clayton continued before adding that Dickson "was a giant of a journalist."

Dickson's "loss will be felt deeply by colleagues"

"It will be an impossibly difficult time for us all as we digest this huge loss," Clayton stressed. "Dicko was a magnificent tennis correspondent, but he would also turn his hand to any sport, especially cricket, golf and football, and support colleagues across our team in any challenge, always in such a generous manner."

The Daily Mail noted how Dickson spent 33 years of his nearly four-decade long journalism career with the newspaper, adding that "his loss will be felt deeply by colleagues."

Dickson graduated from the National Council for the Training of Journalists at the former South Glamorgan Institute.

He got his start at the Chester Chronicle before moving on to the Wembley Observer and 2CR Radio in Bournemouth.

Reporter wrote several biographies

Dickson initially covered tennis for the Daily Mail but switched to focusing on tennis after eight years with the publication.

In addition to being a reporter, Dickson was also an author who wrote several biographies about famous tennis players.

His work included "Bob Willis: A Cricketer and a Gentleman" along with "Emma Raducanu: When Tennis Came Home."