By REYNALD MAGALLON
Rubilen Amit and Johann Chua delivered as Team Philippines repulsed Poland, 3-1, to advance to the semifinals of the Predator World Teams Championship in Klagenfurt, Austria, Friday, Sept. 9.
Amit and Chua scored all the points for the Philippines as US Open Pool champion Carlo Biado was a disappointment against Polish counterpart and reigning men’s World 10-ball champion Wojciech Szewczyk in the men’s singles set.
Amit scored the first point of the contest with a 4-1 triumph over Olivia Zalewska in the women’s singles set but Szewczyk tied the count with a 4-2 victory over Biado.
Amit and Chua then teamed up to blank the duo of Zalewska and Thomasz Kaplan, 4-0, in the mixed doubles before Chua avenged Biado’s earlier defeat with a smashing 4-0 win over Szewczyk to arrange a semifinal showdown against Germany which likewise defeated Spain, 3-1, in the quarterfinals.
Already assured of a medal, the Filipinos take their shot for a spot in the Finals and the lion’s share of $138,000 (P7.8 million) prize pool on Sunday, Sept. 11
Meanwhile in women’s 10-ball, the last Filipino standing, Chezka Centeno got knocked out of the tournament after falling short against Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher, 6-9 in the quarterfinals.
A red-hot Centeno had all the momentum going into the match after sending Indonesian counterpart Angeline Ticoalu packing with a 9-6 triumph in the last 16 but was doused by the seasoned veteran in Fisher who banked on her experience to keep the 23-year-old pool master at bay.
