By MARK REY MONTEJO
Chezka Centeno continued her rampage, this time claiming the scalp Chinese Taipei’s Chou Chieh-Yu, 4-3, 1-4, 4-2, to barge into the semifinals of the Las Vegas Open 10-ball tournament at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino on Saturday, Feb. 24 (Manila time).
The 24-year-old reigning world 10-ball champion held her composure in the crunch to set up a meeting with South Korean Seo Seoa.
Seo likewise produced a big win, stunning Austrian veteran Jasmin Ouschan, 4-2, 4-2.
Prior to her triumph, Centeno downed American Emilyn Callado, 4-0, 4-0, and Ouschan, 0-4, 4-1, 4-3, before stunning seasoned rival Allison Fisher , 4-2, 4-3, in the quarters.
Meanwhile, Carlo Biado and Lee Vann Corteza edged their respective rivals to barge into the quarters in the men’s side.
Biado, the 40-year-old former world champion, displayed his veteran poise to topple Taiwanese Chang Jung-Lin, 4-1, 4-2, to inch closer to the title and the $30,000 (around P1.6 million) men’s grand prize.
The victory arranged Biado a quarters meeting with American Tyler Styer, who routed Ukraine’s Vitaliy Patsura, 4-2, 4-2.
Biado went off to a blistering start, clearing three consecutive racks to seal the first set before encountering a stiff challenge in the second frame, where the Nueva Ecija native untangled from a 2-all lockdown en route to the match win.
On the other hand, Corteza had to dig deep to outlast hometown bet Skyler Woodward, 4-0, 2-4, 3-3 (4-3) to keep his title bid alive.
Coming off the loser’s bracket, Corteza regained his bearings with victories over New Zealand’s Sullivan Clark, 4-3, 2-4, 4-2, in the loser’s qualification and compatriot Roland Garcia, 4-2, 4-3, in the Round of 32.
The triumph set up Corteza a meeting with Greece’s Alex Kazakis, who eliminated Albania’s Eklent Kaci, 4-2, 2-4, 4-2.
