Mark Hodgkinson, the former tennis correspondent of The Daily Telegraph from 2005 to 2011 and an award-winning author, has died unexpectedly at the age of 46. Hodgkinson was taken ill at his home on 4 February and passed away in hospital the following day.
As his career blossomed — from securing one of the most coveted roles in British sports journalism to excelling as a writer of sport, lifestyle and finance — Hodgkinson remained forever encouraging, kind, reserved and quietly self-deprecating.
At the age of 25, Hodgkinson followed in the footsteps of the Telegraph’s distinguished tennis correspondents Arthur Wallis Myers, John Olliff, Lance Tingay and John Parsons. He gave readers a complete picture of the events he covered — not only match analysis, but insight into the characters and personalities on and off the court, and the atmosphere in the streets, stands and galleries.
He chronicled the careers of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, while also working as a ghostwriter for a number of high-profile figures. He collaborated with Robbie Williams, Daniel Craig and Tom Hiddleston on fashion and fitness projects.
One of his most recent tennis books, Searching for Novak, published in 2024, won International Sports Book of the Year at the 2025 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book Awards.
A graduate of Oxford University with a degree in Modern History, Hodgkinson also wrote several Davis Cup annuals, produced features for the London 2012 Olympics programme, and contributed to Wimbledon and the WTA Tour. He also worked with the ATP Tour as a writer on the daily supplements at the Nitto ATP Finals when the tournament was held at London’s O2 Arena.
Hodgkinson is survived by his partner, Amy, and their two daughters, Molly and Rosie. He fondly recalled, with a broad grin, taking Amy to Rome for the 2005 Internazionali BNL d’Italia on one of his first trips for the Telegraph. As Hodgkinson typed away on deadline in the press room, Amy watched her first live tennis match and texted him from the stands: “When will this tennis match end?” Rafael Nadal eventually defeated Guillermo Coria in five sets over five hours and 14 minutes — one of the greatest matches in ATP Tour history.
Mark Hodgkinson, author and tennis journalist, born 5 January 1980, died 5 February 2026.
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