10-Ball Queen anew

Cebuana Rubilen Amit wins second crown in the Yalin Women’s World Championship.

Cebuana Rubilen Amit outplayed American Kelly Fisher, 10-7, last night to capture her second crown in the Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship at the Resorts World Manila.

The 30-year-old Amit, who was the tournament’s inaugural champion in 2009, rose from 4-6 down — gaining ground as the match grew weary — while Fisher wilted as the pressure mounted.

The two pool greats battled back-and-forth in the 17th rack before a crucial blunder cost Fisher, who muffed a clear shot on the eight-ball, the match.

Fisher, the 2011 champion, also scratched in the 16th rack giving Amit an easy table.

The Mandaue-native Amit, who was the 2009 Athlete of the Year awardee by the Sportswriters Association of Cebu (SAC), barged into the final round after nipping Pei Chen Tsai, 9-7, in the semifinals.

With the game tied at 7-7, Amit braved through the pressure and bagged the final 3 racks to secure her second 10 ball crown in 5 years.

“It feels wonderful. I’m so blessed. The crowd helped me big time. Thank you,” the teary-eyed Amit said right after the hard-fought match.

With a chance to take a 5-3 lead, Amit sank the 10 ball but scratched on the cue ball that enabled Fisher to tie the game at 4 apiece. She went on to take the next two racks to build a 6-4 cushion.

The No. 1 ranked player from Britain then scratched twice in Rack 11, and had several miscues in Rack 12, as Amit took the next three racks for a 7-6 advantage.

However, Amit failed to take advantage on a push out in rack 15 as Fisher was able to tie the game for one last time at 7 all.

A bad break in the following rack proved to be a costly point in the championship, as Fisher sank the 5 ball in the wrong hole. Amit took two more racks to push herself within the brink of the championship, 9-7.

Fisher had one last chance to pull closer in Rack 17 when Amit failed to execute. But she rattled the 8 ball out, allowing Amit to seal the deal and record another championship across her name.

It is Amit’s second 10 ball title after winning in the inaugural edition in 2009. She will bring home $21,000 while the runner-up will take home $10,000.

Semifinalists Yu Han (China) and Tsai Pei Chen (Chinese Taipei) meanwhile, will still get $5,000 each.

Amit will also banner Team Asia against Kelly Fisher and the rest of Team West in the Queen’s Cup which runs from Nov. 5 to 7 at the same venue. /inquirer.net with rappler.com