emmsie69 wrote:

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I think he is ranked high enough not to gave to enter qualifying so it makes sense  

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 Dubai List has 5 of top 10 and 8 of top 20, with Dan easily inside the cut

https://twitter.com/DartsTennis/status/1217143337637023745

 

-- Edited by JonH comes home on Friday 17th of January 2020 04:33:56 PM

Given his age and given his year out without earning (and paying back $400k from the previous year), Dan is clearly (and who can blame him) to earn money which I think seems to be behind his call on Tokyo v US Hardcourts and also probably linked to his wanting to play maximum events now. As he says, not much time to make hay.

Is he still un sponsored for his kit? Surely someone would be willing to back him, seems bizarre. Not every corporate wants clean cut, Dans slightly edgy image would play well to some I am sure

JonH comes home wrote:

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Given his age and given his year out without earning (and paying back $400k from the previous year), Dan is clearly (and who can blame him) to earn money which I think seems to be behind his call on Tokyo v US Hardcourts and also probably linked to his wanting to play maximum events now. As he says, not much time to make hay.

Is he still un sponsored for his kit? Surely someone would be willing to back him, seems bizarre. Not every corporate wants clean cut, Dans slightly edgy image would play well to some I am sure

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 I must've missed the 400K payback - was that part of the punishment? 

I think the issue with Dan is that ranked where he is he qualifies automatically for these tournaments, the qualifying cut off can be really high, even at No.40 they sometimes have to go through qualifying so part of the theory may be that he will overall play less matches than he would've last years.

This is why it's a disaster to not award points for the Olympics. For the lower ranked players who don't have much hope for a medal they are basically just going there for the experience.

Nothing wrong with going for the experience, just some will choose not to. What's the problem with having points?

And to answer your PS, I would expect so, yes.

indiana wrote:

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I think the only real athletics ranking system, other than simply best overall times / distances, is the Diamind League series of meetings for elite athletes with a points system based on where you place at each meeting and leading to a final meeting late in the season. The Olympics plays no part in that.

I think for just about any Olympics sport the Olympics stands apart as a kind of special world championships.

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 Not quite correct! Athletics does have a formal ranking system that was introduced over last year and will be used for qualification for Olympics and World Champs. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Athletics_Rankings

 

The Olympics counts towards the rankings as well and is top weighted alongside world championships.  So in tennis that would be like it being given Grand slam weighting. 

 

Clearly in athletics it is actually the pinnacle whereas in tennis it isnt although I'd say in 2012 and 2016 it certainly gained a lot of extra credibility.  I'm not sure it needs ranking points though as that sort of belittles it . It should stand alone on it's own weight and players take part for pride and national commitment. A gold medal should be worth having for gold medal status. 

 

Dan's decision is therefore personal and should be respected if he holds to it, I think it's a shame though and hed enjoy it.