Cebuana Amit wins opener

Cebuana Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit got off to a blazing start yesterday in the 2011 Yalin World Women’s 10-Ball Championship by beating Natalya Seroshtan of Russia, 6-2 in Group 1 at the Robinson’s Galleria in Ortigas.

“Sana magpatuloy ang swerte ko,” said Amit, the top player of sportsman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat who won the inaugural title in 2009.

Amit hopes to sustain her form when she takes on S.M. Liu of China, who lost to Monica Webb of the United States, 6-4, at the start of the group stages.

Her Puyat Sports stable mate, Iris Ranola, also scored an emphatic victory in Group 2, routing 2011 China 9-ball Open champion Fu Xiao Fang of China, 6-3, in the event organized by Dragon Promotions in cooperation with Puyat Sports and Star Billiards Center and aired over ABS-CBN through Studio 23.

Ranola’s next foe will be H.C. Lin of Chinese-Taipei.

“Buti nakalusot kay Fu, mabigat siyang kalaban eh,” said Ranola.

Filipina-American Mary Rakin also won her first round match against Anastasia Necheava of Russia, 6-1, in Group 2. The Daly City, California resident Rakin, who traces her roots in Cavite, will next face Lin.

Also winning their opening-round games were S.M. Chen of China who beat Yu Ram Cha of Korea, 6-5 in Group 3; Kamila Khodjeava of Poland who routed Angel Paglia of the US, 6-3 in Group 3; Ga Young Kim of Korea who toppled compatriot Y.M. Lim, 6-4 in Group 4; Melissa Rademakers of the Netherlands who nipped Emily Duddy of the US, 6-4 in Group 4; Kelly Fisher of Great Britain who tripped E. J. Park of Korea, 6-5 in Group 5 and Jennifer Barreta of the US who crushed L. Dos Santos of France, 6-3 in Group 5.

Tournament favorite Allison Fisher of Great Britain also won her match against N. Praveen of India, 6-2 in Group 6; S.S. Liu of China dumped Indira Gowda of India, 6-1 in Group 7; Britany Bryant of Canada crushed T. Peeters of the Netherlands, 6-4 in Group 7 and C. Kawahara of Japan edged C. Y. Chou of Chinese-Taipei, 6-5 in Group 8.

The 48 players were divided into eight groups of six players. The top three players from each group advance to the next round.