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Lin chose to rest and train for Olympics, which is 6 weeks from now
He used up his 2 x withdraw to come back to Taiwan and recover and restart.
He had a very tiring year so far and indeed injury on the wrist is getting worse due to overloading of tournaments, as this 6 months has been overloading for every player. The most overload 6 month period since 2020.
I'm not sure if he used medical withdrawal or not. But medical withdrawal is very strict and with few cases in 2023 and 2024, we have seen players getting declined - this includes Aruna and Ni, being the more famous incidents.
With WTT policy, players get automatically entered and then the players need to withdraw themselves if they can't or don't want to play.
they are only allowed 2 withdrawal for personal reasons.
Now, personal reasons also includes financial reasons.....
So imagine a self funding player, who all of the sudden have no more money to tour.... then that player will get few fines and penalties....
This is crazy, especially financial reason is a valid problem in the sport. If WTT make it free for automatic entry players to fly, and play (no USD150~180 daily cost), then financial reason is off the cards, but it cost players daily fee for say min 5 days or at least 750USD per person + what ever flight cost. Assuming just 1 player and no one else. Prize money can't contribute to this overhead.
WTT Contender Zagreb winner - 5000USD, R16 - 775USD, R32 - 525USD
Kanak spend min 2 to 3 nights + maybe extra of 2 days prior - so 5 nights, to win 0 USD at Star Contender.
If he had made it into maindraw, he would get 900USD prize money and still not break even.
remember - prize money still need to be taxed with withholding tax... lol
I can't remember where I saw the chart before, but the only way out is for women's - maternity leave, or both men and women - medical, or file for official international retirement.
The rest is all personal reason - ie, if you getting married, or honeymoon, all that is personal reason and only 2 x per year (not sure if calendar year now, or 12 month cycle), but there is over 10~20 events a year, so players need to play in 80~90% of them to avoid penalty and fines.
This is why some players have chosen to go play and loose 1st match and can return home.
This is terrible solution and also against WTT policy, so if they got caught, then that is fines/penalty too.
But you need to be there, but you also don't want to be there... it is very very difficult for players.
In junior circuit, there isn't force or withdrawal issue.
but it is the same daily costs, but some times the accommodation is shocking - ie, staying in school dorm and not hotel.
imagine paying USD160 a night (including transport and 3 meals), and you staying in a school dorm.
Before WTT, the average budget for tours in say Europe through ITTF hotel + transport is around USD100 per day.
so 60% more today, but quality from 4 star living to 1 star...
This fee is forced for both seniors and juniors WTT events!!
the entry fee + hotel (or dorm) + transport is together. You either pay it or you don't take part.
so think about it, where an avg of 6 days (some times 10 days) x 150 USD x 120 players.
this is a good USD110k in entry fees min per event hosted.
More realistic is 8 day stay x 160~180 x 200+ players = USD300K
So when you have 30 youth events a year and 35 senior events a year.
so 30 x 110k + 35 x 300k = this is atleast 12 million USD a year just on entry fees just for singles.
This is why many national federations have said WTT has become a business.
and players are the tools for making this business successful and they don't get paid for "arriving to the job"
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