Dan Evans

LordBrownof · Futures level

RE: Dan Evans

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

LordBrownof wrote:
JonH comes home wrote:
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
I must've missed the 400K payback - was that part of the punishment?

Idea correct, number wrong, sorry - this BBC report from the time says £90k so maybe $120k US at the time? Still a reasonable sum to have to find and it was when Dan was just starting to earn decent money

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/43262328

emmsie69 · ATP level

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.

LordBrownof · Futures level

I can understand the hesitance. Personally, I would prioritize Olympics over anything else but I can understand that for Dan - someone who had toiled away for many years with major ranking fluctuations why, to finally be seeded for GS's, be recognized as a top player, have momentum, etc - I would want to protect and build on that too. Olympics are disruptive whichever way you look at it.

wolf · Tennis legend

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.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

wolf wrote:
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.

What's wrong with going just for the experience?

Absolutely right IMO not to give points (not that I'd have tennis in the Olympics anyway).

(PS Do athletes get points towards whatever ranking system they have?)

-- Edited by Coup Droit on Wednesday 22nd of January 2020 06:52:02 PM

wolf · Tennis legend

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 · Tennis legend

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.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
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.

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.

indiana · Tennis legend

Thanks Jon, interesting

I did say "I think". I quite often think wrong.

wolf · Tennis legend

Not sure by saying "athlete" CD meant someone that competed in athletics, could be any sport.

christ · Futures qualifying

In athletics (running and jumping and throwing) the "points" are largely real-world things, like inches and seconds (or fractions thereof). Athletics is mostly human against nature, and the fact that several humans are having the battle at the same time is only of passing interest.

ROSAMUND · Futures level

Players have different playing priorities which they are entitled.to.Dan rules out the Olympics whereas for Jo Konta she has prioritised the Olympics over the Fed Cup. I recall she said the Rio Olympics was one of her greatest expreriences. Olympics only come once every 4years and most players never get there anyway. Look at the number of US female players who because of the US having so many current top players will never get to the Olympicr

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

I am supportive of Dan, I think given his upbringing and relative age, and his recent past, maximising his points and ranking is an understandable priority. Tokyo isnt just the week, it will impact both sides with travel etc, so 3 or 4 weeks would be disrupted possibly. One commentator said that the two events it directly clashes with (Atlanta and Los Cabos I think) would be weakened and as such players like Dan would see them as real opportunities for decent points, money and maybe a title.

BUT, the other side is that Dan won't get the chance for an Olympics again, I would think, and I think he would really regret not having experienced it. I dont know when the cut off for entries is, maybe the answer is to really crack on over the next month or three and get points and money galore, and then feel more free to give the Olympics a go!

ROSAMUND · Futures level

This is a bye gone era but for some reason or other and she was qualified to do so in both 1988 and 1992 but Jo Durie chose not to go to the Olympics. Unlike Dan Evans who got some comment in the papers no comment or criticism was ever made about Jo Durie's reasons for not playing. And it can't have been the travel because the 1992 Olympics were held in Barcelona.