It’s back to Barnsley this week for the German Masters qualifiers, which represents the final piece of action on the Main Tour in 2018.
Unlike the majority of ranking events that require a single preliminary stage away from the main venue, the Metrodome will host two rounds of German Masters qualifiers before the 32 competitors for the Tempodrom are determined.
It was a busy Tuesday then as proceedings got under way, with the likes of Judd Trump and Kyren Wilson among the early winners in the last 128.
Trump compiled a 114 in beating Robbie Williams 5-2 while Wilson, who will face the “Ace in the Pack” next month in the opening round of the prestigious Masters in London, enjoyed an easier time of it thanks to a 5-1 victory over Ian Burns.
Most of the names who were expected to progress did so, with Ryan Day, Stephen Maguire, and Martin Gould among those to move one step closer to a return to Berlin.
Former champion Gould left it late but managed to scramble past Adam Duffy in a decider while Day and Maguire overcame Lee Walker and Daniel Wells respectively – the latter unable to recover from a disappointing collapse in the last four of last week’s Scottish Open.
Joe Perry, Graeme Dott, and Yan Bingtao all made a good start to their German Masters qualifiers by advancing to the last 64 too.
There were some big name casualties, though, with Ali Carter and Luca Brecel notable losers on day one.
Carter, champion in 2013 and the runner-up in 2017, suffered a 5-2 defeat to Sam Craigie while 2016 finalist Brecel was ousted by Matthew Stevens.
Elsewhere, former world champion Ken Doherty impressed as he thumped fellow veteran Alan McManus with a whitewash.
Snooker Shoot Out champion Michael Georgiou compiled four half centuries to see off the challenge of Mei Xiwen and Dominic Dale hammered Michael Holt 5-1.
China’s Zhou Yuelong held off compatriot Zhang Anda in a decider and countryman Lu Ning constructed a brace of centuries in beating Peter Lines 5-2.
Among some of the others to advance to the second round in the German Masters qualifiers were Peter Ebdon, Robert Milkins, Sam Baird, and Akani Songsermsawad.
