Centeno exorcises Ouschan ghost, rolls past Amit

MANILA, Philippines — For more than a year, Chezka Centeno was haunted by her heartbreaking 9-8 hill-hill loss to Austrian star Jasmin Ouschan in the WPA Women’s 8-Ball World Championship final in Green Bay, Wisconsin – a defeat that cost her what could have been her breakthrough title in the event.

On Friday, she finally buried that bitter past.

Centeno exacted sweet revenge on the same player who denied her that first 8-ball crown, turning back Ouschan, 8-4, to catapult herself into the quarterfinals of this Oneida Casino-backed world championship.

There, the 27-year-old native of Zamboanga City faced a much tougher emotional test – taking on countrywoman, mentor and close friend Rubilen Amit. Centeno held her nerve and prevailed, 8-6, to book a spot in the semifinals and move two wins away from a historic first 8-ball world title.

Standing in her way is Chinese Taipei’s Wei Tzu-Chien, who barged into the Final Four after demolishing Japan’s Chihiro Kawahara, 8-1.

The other semifinal pairing features American Savannah Easton, who edged Belarusian Margaret Fefilova-Styer in a hill-hill thriller, 8-7, and British legend Kelly Fisher, who blanked Taiwanese Chou Chieh-Yu, 8-0.

The semifinals and finals are set today.

An 8-ball trophy would be a fitting addition to Centeno’s growing collection, which already includes two world 10-ball titles in 2023 and last year.