EXCLUSIVE: Florian Hempel on his tour card and the World Championship
In handball, the 57th-placed player in the Order of Merit made it all the way to the second tier - where he played as goalkeeper for Dessau-Roßlauer HV.
In 2017, he took the jump with ambition and serenity that brought him to the top of the darts world. He is now an integral part of the German scene and it's hard to imagine it without him.
However, after a rather sub-optimal season, a showdown at the World Championship qualifying tournament will take place at the end of this month. Not only his participation at the PDC World Championship is at stake, but also his tour card.
Mentality? 'Just go out and play darts'
FS: You once said that you worked with a mental coach, but you also use the "Hong method". Mentally, how does your previous handball experience help you?
FH: "When I started darts, I read Richard Weese's book(editor's note: Mental Darts Power - Stark im Kopf) and learnt a few methods. Some helped, some didn't. One of them was the Hong method, which helps me to get negative thoughts out of my head. It's a method for me to reset and it really works."
How are you preparing for the qualifying tournament? How long are you currently spending on the board every day, and are there any unusual methods that you're incorporating?
"Preparation is in full swing, I spend 5-6 hours on the board every day and try to prepare intensively. I take every small tournament with me to stay in shape. Of course, that's difficult when you don't have a real benchmark, for three and a half weeks, from the last Players Championship, to the qualifiers.
"You don't really know where you stand because there are no pro tournaments, whereas I'm not qualified for the Grand Slam or the Players Championship Finals. So the motto is 'practice hard, just go out and play darts'."
Do you feel pressure in the run-up to the tournament because of the starting situation, and if so how do you deal with it?
"Pressure? It is what it is. Of course, I didn't choose the situation (laughs) and would wish it to be different. But there's no point in thinking about it too much, I accept the situation as it is and will give it my all. A few players before me have already saved their tour card via the qualifier, why shouldn't I be able to do the same?"
Germans at the PDC World Championship
Is there an opponent you would prefer not to meet there, how do you approach the tournament?
"There is no opponent I don't want to play against. The guys who are there can all play darts. Of course, it would be nice if all three Germans who are in the qualifier could also go to the World Championship - that would make me personally very happy.
"I hope the draw will allow it. I think it's more likely that we won't meet than that we'll be playing for the same ticket. Otherwise I say: 'Et kütt wie et kütt und et hätt noch jot jejange' (editor's note: German expression similar to "that's the way the cookie crumbles" in English)."
Who of your German colleagues do you have the most faith in at this year's World Cup?
"Of course, you first have to see who else is travelling to the World Cup. But the Germans have shown that they can play darts. Martin (Schindler) played a great European Tour, Gaga(Gabriel Clemens) was in the semi-finals last year, Ricardo (Pietreczko) shone with a title and Dragutin (Horvat) also played a great Challenge Tour season. So why should they suddenly get stuck at the World Championships?
"The boys definitely have a lot to be proud of, especially for German darts. It's the tournament that gets the most attention, has the most spectators, and I'm sure the boys will be busy racking up results."
The path through difficult sporting times
As a professional, are you happy about the "event fans" that the World Cup brings with it every year or is the limited interest in darts rather annoying?
"The World Cup attracts the most attention, just like in other sports, and that's not just the case in darts, but in many other sports as well. Of course, you look forward to the event and also to the fans, and if only 10 per cent of these 'event fans' stick around at the end - continue to watch or start playing themselves - that helps the sport of darts to progress.
"And, then, I also look forward to these fans and would be happy if they become 'year-round fans'."
How big is the difference between the infrastructure at the PDC World Championship compared to the Grand Slam, Players Championship or non-TV tournaments?
"It's obviously a huge tournament with a huge amount of effort behind it and the PDC has its automatisms and its teams. Regardless of whether it's a Grand Slam, World Championship or a pro tournament. As a player, you can go there and not have to worry about anything."
Are you already planning for next year or is it important for you to get some clarity and finish this year in the best possible way?
"There are plans and thoughts for next year - what could happen and what would happen in which case. There are also discussions with the sponsors, although I am lucky that my partners, thank goodness, stand by me, even in difficult sporting times.
"That again shows how important it is to have a basis of trust, I'm extremely happy about that and I'm looking forward to the future. And, of course, if the tour card is gone at the end of the year, Q School is coming up, so there's only one goal - to get the tour card back.
"Beyond that, I haven't given it much thought. I'll definitely stay involved in darts. There are plenty of opportunities to play darts; there's the Challenge Tour and next year there will probably be a new PDC Amateur Series for German players. There's also the Modus Super Series and of course the WDF. So you can still play darts and I will definitely always be a part of darts."