Amit, Centeno enter world tilt KO phase

MANILA, Philippines - Rubilen Amit and teener Cheska Centeno scored victories in contrasting fashions to advance to the knockout stage of the WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) fourth Annual Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship yesterday at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas.

Amit defeated Taipei’s C.Y. Chou, 6-4, to top Group 7 with a 3-0 card and move into the next round with the top finishers in the other group elims.

“Chou is strong but I played better at endgame,” said Amit, who earlier beat B.R. Jung of Korea, 6-2, and K.Yukawa of Japan, 6-1.

“My main target is to win my remaining games for a possible automatic slot in the Final 16,” said Amit, winner of the inaugural staging of this event in 2008.

Amit will next face Y.T. Chan of Chinese-Taipei and I. Helvik of Norway as she steps up her bid for the top $21,000 purse in the event backed by Yalin Billiards, OB Cues, Tour Edition Cloth, Aramith Balls, and ABS-CBN. Other backers of the event are Star Billiards and Pool & Billiard Magazine. 

The 13-year-old Centeno, meanwhile, bounced back from her setback to Yu Ram Cham of Korea as she edged A. Mazhirina of Russia, 6-5, to finish with a 3-1 slate in Group 1 and advance to the next phase.

Yu went on to sweep her elims assignment for a 4-0 card.

Centeno actually took a 2-0 lead against Yu but yielded the next six racks for a 6-2 victory.

Meanwhile, Iris Rañola bowed out of the tournament after losing to S. M. Chen of China, 6-0. The world No. 2 Chen topped Group 4 with a 4-1 slate for a berth in the Final 16.

Others who made it to the Final 24 are defending champion Kelly Fisher of Great Britain and 2010 World 10-ball kingpin Jasmin Ouschan of Austria.

The top finisher in the group play automatically advances to the Final 16, according to Charlie Williams of Dragon Promotion while the No. 2 and No. 3 finishers will move to the Final 24.

Meanwhile, Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza brace for a tough outing as they head the country’s bid in the Partypoker.Net World Cup of Pool set Sept. 4-9 at Robinsons Place Manila.

Orcollo and Corteza take on the Swiss pair of Dimitri Jungo and Ronni Regli as they spearhead the country’s bid to regain the crown in the $250,000 event.

Pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes and former world No. 1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante will spearhead Phl Team B against their Hong Kong counterparts.

In last year’s World Cup, the Philippines, led by Orcollo, Bustamante and Ronnie Alcano, failed to reach past the quarterfinal round.

Reyes and Bustamante ruled the inaugural staging of the event in 2006 in Newport, England, beating Americans Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris. They repeated as champions in 2009.

The duo, however, struggled last year, losing to Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann in the quarters. The Germans went on to capture the crown.

A total of 32 teams are vying in the event with the Philippines fielding in two squads as host.