Rubilen Amit of the Philippines bucked a slow start to edge Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan of Thailand 7-5 on Wednesday in the women’s 10-ball singles of the 30th Southeast Asian Games at the Manila Hotel Tent.
Amit crawled out a 0-4 hole by winning the next three racks and sustained her momentum after a 5-all tie to advance to the semifinals.
The multiple 8-ball and 9-ball SEA Games champion had a hard time with her breaks.
“Breaking in 10-ball is not really my strength,” Amit said. “And I’ve been concentrating on 9-balls lately.”
Billiards legend Efren “Bata” Reyes was competing in the men’s 1-cushion carom quarterfinals against Thongchai Punawee while the men’s snooker tandem of Basil Hasan Al Shajjar and Michael Angelo Mengorio was battling Singapore’s Kingsley Tian Yi Ang and Lim Chun Kiat.
Al Shajjar and Mengorio advanced to the quarterfinals at the expense of Indonesians Dhendy Krhistanto and Putu Edi Wirawan 3-1 on Tuesday night.
Carlo Biado and Johann Chua, along with the other Philippine pair of Warren Kiamco and Jeffrey Ignacio were gunning for an all-Filipino final in the men’s 9-ball doubles.
Chezka Centeno was also battling Sukritthanes Waratthanun in the 10-ball singles quarterfinals as well as Alvin Barbero and Jefrey Roda in the men’s snooker doubles.