Beloved tennis reporter and podcaster Damian Kust has died after a battle with an autoimmune disease, his family announced on Tuesday, January 6. He was 26.
“We are the parents of Damian,” his family wrote via X. “Today our best son passed away. Thank you all for your support.”
Kust was well-respected for his coverage of and passion for the game he loved, shining a light on the lesser-known ATP Challenger Tour and telling the stories of the next generation of tennis stars.
He told followers in November 2025 that he had been diagnosed with a “rare autoimmune disease” that had him in and out of the hospital over the previous couple months. Kust underwent several surgeries last year and said he was awaiting a liver transplant.
In his updates, he often talked about a lack of energy while expressing his gratitude to all who have supported him, even though he hadn’t been able to work or even respond.
“Small update,” he wrote via X on November 5, 2025. “Yes, I haven’t been tweeting or even watching 🎾. Without going into details, they had to do surgery on my stomach. Recovery is slow and challenging for me and doctors alike. Thank you for messages, even those I haven’t found energy to respond to (so 95% of them).”
He added in a follow-up, “Also, I had my sights set on Bergamo as the last trip of the year, but under current circumstances I’ll have to cancel. Even if I’m out of hospital by then (no idea right now), going abroad alone for nine days just wouldn’t be a smart call at the moment.”
Tennis players and writers alike took to Kust’s mentions to share their condolences.
“I am so so sorry for your loss,” former American tennis pro John Isner wrote in reply to Kust’s parents’ statement. “Damian was so well respected within our tennis community. A truly great guy. May he Rest In Peace and fly high in Heaven with our Lord and Savior.”
Current ATP pro Sebastian Korda echoed Isner, writing, “My condolences. Rest in peace, Damian❤️🙏.”
The ATP Tour’s official account also chimed in, sharing, “Damian made a great contribution to our sport. His effort and passion will be sorely missed. Our deepest condolences to Damian’s loved ones.”
Last Word on Tennis, one of the outlets Kust contributed to, posted a tribute to him and asked readers to share their memories to pass along to his family.
“He saw and loved the purity of the sport in the lower tours, as players who often barely scraped by made their way forward in this beautiful sport,” the outlet wrote. “He told their stories and shone a deserving spotlight on players who were otherwise often overlooked.”
The tribute continued, “Damian’s passion was infectious. It spread to his editors, to his fellow writers and to all fellow fans who interacted with him online. His love for the sport and all its players was an inspiration to so many. The immediate support that Damian received on the news of his passing shows the extent of his reach across the tennis community.”