When I was leaving the BBC, Mike was the person I called

MiKe diCKSoN was someone i respected, admired and trusted. Above all, he was a really good friend, a super nice guy who you loved to spend time with.

He was a big personality in the media centre, always holding court, and i would look forward to the times when we would share stories and have a good laugh. We only spoke a month ago. He’d often call me to get my take on things, just as mates. i will really miss those chats. i said to him once, ‘When you retire, we will go and watch a few matches at Wimbledon and not have to think about it or write about it’. We were looking forward to that, so this news has shocked me. every morning this week, i have been opening up the paper to see what Mike has written from the Australian open. He was the person i’d go to to find out all the stories and the person i trusted the most among the media. Whenever i had a story and everyone said i should issue a statement, Mike was always the one i’d turn to in those difficult moments because i trusted him and knew he would always be fair. That is all you could ask really. Particularly when i was leaving the bbC, Mike was the person i called up to deal with that story. That is the greatest tribute i can give. it was a really difficult time

for me, but he made it so easy. Whenever i needed advice, he’d be the one i’d go to. i’ll miss being able to see him and speak to him. i’ve known him ever since he started covering tennis and he was such a terrific journalist. You get to know people when you respect them, you like the way they write and like the way they deal with things. You follow those people and reach out to them. He was a great friend to so many — not just in the media room, but players as well. People really liked him and respected him. That is a tribute to him because it is very rare to find someone who is incredibly liked by those they write about. He was very close to Tim Henman, and Andy Murray really liked him as well. He didn’t always write nice things about me, but he was always fair. i’d read it and think, ‘Fair point, Mike’. it just seems so shocking and devastating that this has happened. He has been taken way too early. Tennis won’t be the same without him. it is a devastating loss for everyone. My thoughts go to his wife, children and the rest of his family.