Martin and Allan got their respective seasons off to good starts after a gruelling week of qualifiers in Preston. 

In the qualifying match for the Indian Open, Martin started with a break of 87 and finished with a century to defeat Malaysian Thor Chuan Leong 4-2 in a great match. Meanwhile, Allan held his nerve in the decider to see off Jamie Cope 4-3.

The next qualifiers were for the China Open where three fifty plus breaks helped Allan defeat Sam Baird 5-3. Baird is known for reaching the televised stages of the World Championships back in April, so it was a great win for Allan. Unfortunately Martin missed out on another trip to China, losing 5-4 to Cao Yupend having been 4-2 up. 

The last of the three qualifiers was for the Riga Open in Latvia, which takes place later in June. Allan gained an excellent victory over Liam Highfield 4-2. Martin fought a hard match with amateur Daniel Womersley to take the deciding frame. 

Allan was particularly pleased to be one of only seventeen players to win all three qualifying matches after a disappointing season last year. With his renewed confidence, he can surely keep moving on and up and have a really great season this time around. 

Keep an eye out for a report on how the boys got on in Latvia later in the month!