A journalist known for repeatedly shaming unvaccinated world tennis champion Novak Djokovic died suddenly last week while covering the Australian Open.
Mike Dickson, who would have turned 60 on January 27th, was a British sports correspondent for the Daily Mail. He was nicknamed “Mr. Wimbledon” for his reportage of tennis.
Dickson was in Melbourne to cover the Australian Open when he suddenly collapsed and died on Wednesday. No cause of death has been reported.
“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 family posted on X. “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.”
Tributes poured in for the veteran sports writer from tennis stars both past and present, including Billie Jean King, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic himself.
“Condolences to Mike Dickson family, Rest in Peace,” the Serbian athlete posted on X in response to the news of Dickson’s death.
Djokovic’s sympathy comes despite having been targeted with a barrage of hostility from Dickson for refusing to take the COVID-19 vaccine.
“Welcome to the Wacky World of Novak Djokovic: Anti-vaxxer tennis superstar is a tree-hugger who insists Bosnia’s ‘pyramids’ give off mystic energy and that positive thoughts can PURIFY water,” headlined a report by Dickson in January 2022.
“Novak Djokovic’s WEASEL words cut no ice and he has damaged his reputation with his ‘misinformation’ around the Australian Open… after helping to create a player union, his leadership credentials have been BADLY damaged,” was the title of another article by Dickson a week later.
Four days later, Dickson lashed out at Djokovic again: “Novak Djokovic will remain a hero to some, but to many others he has TRASHED his reputation beyond repair,” he wrote.
The journalist warned that Djokovic was jeopardizing his career by refusing the shots, a decision which had him banned by the Australian and American governments and unable to compete in the Australian Open.
“Novak Djokovic could ruin his chances of becoming the GOAT by refusing to take the vaccine… it is a strange hill to die on for a player who is so desperate to be loved,” Dickson wrote in February 2022.
Djokovic is currently ranked the world’s number one tennis champion.
