FILIPINA billiards’ ace Chezka Centeno continued her hot streak by clinching the M Arena Ladies 10-Ball Open title in Jakarta, Indonesia, defeating fellow Filipina Denden Santos, 10–6, in an all-Pinay final.
The victory added to Centeno’s impressive run on the global stage. Just recently, she bagged a silver medal at the inaugural Oneida WPBA Women’s 8-Ball Championship in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The 2023 World 10-Ball champion nearly captured an-other world title, but fell short in a gripping 9–8 hill-hill final against Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan, keeping fans enthralled until the final rack.
Inspired by Centeno’s success, the Philippine billiards scene showed more firepower as 14 Filipino players advanced to the sec-ond round of the World Pool Championship in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Johann Chua led the charge with a dominant 9–0 victory over Mohamed Al-Balkhi. Marvin Asis followed with a stunning up-set over Spain’s David Alcaide, 9–8, while 2017 world champion Carlo Biado took care of Jan Van Lierop, 9–5.
Lee Van Corteza also posted a strong performance, edging Al Waleed Al-Mudayan, 9–7.
AJ Manas prevailed in an all-Filipino battle against Alexis Ferrer, 9–6, and James Aranas dispatched Wesam Hamamm, 9–4.
Roland Garcia added another big win for the Philippines, toppling former world champion Niels Feijen, 9–4.
Also advancing in the winners’ bracket were Bernie Regalario, Jeffrey Ignacio, Michael Baoanan, Patrick Gonzales, and Mi-chael Feliciano.
They joined Tuesday’s winners, Jefrey Roda and Anton Raga, to complete the strong Filipino contingent in the next round.
Despite his earlier loss, Ferrer stayed alive in the tournament by defeating Phuong Nam Pham, 9–6, in the losers’ bracket. Mark Kalagayan also kept his campaign going with a 9–7 triumph over Abdulaziz Al-Amoudi.
On the other hand, Rogelio Sotero and Marlon Castañeda became the first casualties among the 18-player Philippine delegation in this prestigious event.
Conspicuously absent from the tournament was two-time world champion and Cebuana billiards icon Rubilen Amit, who was forced to withdraw due to illness.
In a Facebook post dated July 19, Amit addressed questions about her absence from the official player list.
“Hi guys! Some of you may be wondering why my name isn’t on the players’ list for the World Pool Championships. Unfortu-nately, due to health concerns, I’ve had to withdraw from the event,” she wrote.
While Amit did not disclose the specific nature of her condition, she said her decision to skip the tournament was based on her doctors’ advice, prioritizing her recovery and well-being.
