ATP Tour

Remembering Damian Kust

Damian Kust, a respected tennis journalist who was cherished for his unmatched coverage of the ATP Challenger circuit, passed away on 6 January at the age of 26.

Kust constantly highlighted lower-ranked players who might otherwise have gone unheralded. As he wrote in his bio on social media, Kust covered the “unsung heroes”.

“Damian Kust’s passing is a huge loss for the tennis world, especially for the Challenger circuit he followed so closely," said tennis journalist and commentator José Morgado. "His passion for the sport was rare and deeply genuine — he didn’t just report results, he told the stories of players, tournaments and moments that often go unnoticed.

“The sadness felt across the tennis community speaks volumes about the impact he had. Damian gave visibility, respect and voice to a level of tennis that thrives on dedication and perseverance, much like his own work. He will be remembered not only as a journalist, but as a true lover of the game.”

Every week, Kust posted on X a list of the champions across the Challenger circuit, and during the four majors he offered insightful breakdowns of the qualifiers who fought their way into the main draw. Kust’s work was expansive, deeply informative and always accessible.

“Damian was a really special person," said commentator Mike Cation. "Aside from being just an incredible resource for both fans and media alike, his passion for a level of the sport that is under-publicised and under-loved was crystal clear. He got involved because he loved it, and his work made all of us love Challenger level tennis even more.

“I know there were many times when I might not have known something for certain about a player or tournament, and I knew I could count on him having that information, which he shared with all of us freely. Our Challenger eco-system suffered a major, major loss with his passing, and he will be greatly missed.”

^{Credit: Rafał Jagielski/Kozerki Open 2025}

Kust’s wide-ranging expertise and dedicated attention to all levels of tennis helped others develop greater appreciation and interest in the sport, especially ATP Challenger events, which he frequently visited. And if Kust was not there in person, he was certainly following online. Each week, he engaged fans by posting a poll inviting them to vote on the best Challenger match of the week.

Kust will be deeply missed by the tennis community. He left a lasting impact on the sport he loved and those who came to know him.

“If you were to ask me the best part about working in tennis, I wouldn’t hesitate to say it’s the people — and Damian was the best of us," said reporter Blair Henley. "He tirelessly covered this sport for the love of the game, and shined a light on players who may not have had their stories told otherwise.

“It can be challenging for analysts who aren’t former pros to enter the tennis media space, and the fact that Damian was able to do so seamlessly and garner so much respect from every corner of the tennis world speaks to his work ethic, knowledge base and most importantly, his kindness. He’ll be sorely missed.”

Robbie Koenig, tennis commentator, added: “Damian was such a great supporter of the sport, and his informative insights and covering of the Challenger Tour with such vigour, really helped highlight how great those players are. The sport of tennis has lost a good one… RIP DK”