By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit dumped their respective rivals to open their title campaigns in the 2024 WPA World 10-Ball Women’s Championship on Tuesday, Nov. 13, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Both enjoying a first-round bye, Centeno routed Silviana Lu of Indonesia, 4-0, 4-2, while Amit whipped Oliwia Zalewska of Poland, 4-1, 4-1, in this race-to-4, best-of-3 set preliminary format.
The victories arranged Centeno a mouth-watering rematch with China’s Han Yu, while Amit going up against Japanese Miina Tani.
Han, who also earned an opening-round bye, is coming off a 4-2, 4-0 win over American Savannah Easton.
Miina, for her part, first edged Canadian Myriam Lafranchise, 4-1, 4-2, then walloped Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wan-Ling, 4-2, 4-1.
Expect the Centeno-Han showdown to be tight and furious with the Chinese out to back at the reigning titlist who prevailed 9-5 in their title match last last year.
Han boasts of three world 9-ball titles and a semifinalist in three world championships — in 2017 in the 9-ball event, and in 2011 and 2014 in 10-ball. She also won the China Open 9-Ball title this year.
Centeno seeks to become the first player to win back-to-back titles in the tournament, while Amit is eager to clinch her third world crown.
The tournament was actually held annually from its inaugural staging in 2009 until 2013, before taking a nine-year hiatus. Both the 2022 and 2023 editions were held in Austria.
