Source: GMA News
-- Rubilen Amit, the reigning titlist of the Women’s World 10-Ball event, is back in championship form.
A day after struggling at the start of her title retention bid, the Filipina pool sensation rediscovered her vicious form and scored an easy 6-1 triumph over compatriot Ana Tulauan Tuesday at the Nuvo City in Libis, Quezon City.
Amit capitalized on her inexperienced rival’s series of blunders to shatter a 1-all deadlock and come up with consecutive game close-outs in the next five racks. The win shoved the reigning champion closer to the Round-of-24.
Despite the victory, Amit admitted that she felt the pressure even after beating Angel Paglia, 6-3, on Monday in front of a big audience.
In that contest, the 29-year-old accountancy graduate from the University of Santo Tomas started strong, but made several miscues midway until the latter part of the match before pulling off a win.
"Even though I'm playing in a non-TV table, I'm still pressured. But then I'm more relaxed now than yesterday," said Amit, who prior to this tourney placed fifth in the China Open held three weeks ago in Shanghai.
Amit claimed the first rack, but Tulauan, a 22-year-old upstart from Manila who began to play competitive pool three years ago, tied the game in the next rack.
But the pressure of a big-time tournament took its toll on Tulauan. She missed several easy shots, allowing Amit to take advantage.
Amit, who is now 2-0 in Group A, is the only unbeaten Filipina player.
Iris Ranola, one of the country’s best bets, suffered a stinging 4-6 setback at the hands of Spanish player Amalia Matas.
Ranola fell behind most of the way. She dropped the first two racks and found herself teetering on the brink of defeat, 2-5.
Ranola made a last-ditch stand to try to win via the backdoor after claiming the next two racks and threatened to within 4-5, but Matas was able to close it out in the 10th rack to hand the former National Pool champion her first loss after three games.
Ranola fell to 2-1 for second spot behind Korean Yu Ram Cha, who won her second straight match when she came back from three racks down to beat Miyuki Fuke of Japan, 6-5.
Cha, one of the attractions of this event, trailed 2-5, but came back strong in the next three racks to set up an exciting windup.
The charming Korean cue artist pounced on Fuke’s miscues in the down-the-wire encounter and held steadier in the stretch to complete the come-from-behind win.
Fil-American Shanelle Loraine of Guam, also an instant attraction in this event, suffered her third straight defeat Tuesday. She lost to Tamara Radermakers of the Netherlands, 6-3.
But Ga Young Kim, one of the top-rated lady players, failed to join Amit and Cha in the list of unbeaten players when she lost, 5-6, to Han Yu of China. It was her first defeat after three matches.
It was actually the second match of the day for Kim, who beat American Julie Kelly, 6-3, in an afternoon match in Libis. She proceeded to Robinsons Galeria in Ortigas for her match with Yu.
Yu, who is already assured of a spot in the Round-of-24 with her 4-0 record, was trailing 3-5, but came back to win the final three racks and beat Kim.
Source: Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Rubilen Amit, who has gotten used to playing against the country’s top male players, yesterday said she’s all set and ready to defend her title in the 2010 Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship.
“I’m ready,” said the 28-year-old winner of last year’s event.
This year, she’s back to defend the crown in the weeklong event that begins today at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. But it’s not going to be easy because of the presence of the world’s best.
Amit won last year’s crown at the expense of two-time champion Liu Shin-Min of Taipei, and rode the momentum of that victory to win the International Mixed Doubles Classic with Efren “Bata” Reyes.
Amit said her chance to play, train and compete with her male counterparts, including the best the country could offer, has helped her cope with the pressure of playing against the best women players.
And this coming week she will once again have the chance to shine.
After this tournament, the double-gold winner in the 2008 Southeast Asian Games in Laos will get ready for the 16th Asian Games scheduled Nov. 12-27 in Guangzhou, China.
The world No. 3 female player will face the challenge of 47 others vying in the $75,000 event.
Already in town for the event are world No. 1 Allison Fisher of England, Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, Ga Young Kim of Korea, former world No.1 Karen Corr of Ireland, reigning Amway World open ruler Yu Ram Cha of Korea, reigning China open winner Tsai Pei Chen of Taiwan and all-Japan champion Han Yu of China.
“It’s going to be a wide-open race for the title and I think everybody has a chance,” said Amit.
The event, which offers $20,000 (roughly P860,000 to the winner), will be aired live over the ABS-CBN and ESPN Star Sports.
“It will be the biggest sporting event for women in the Philippines in 2010,” said Cindy Lee, CEO of the organizing Dragon Promotions.
The event, sponsored by BCN Balls, Leqi Cloth, Crown Plaza Galleria Ortigas, Magic 89.9, The Philippine STAR, Nuvo City, Robinsons Galleria in cooperation with Puyat Sports and Star Billiards Center, is sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).
In winning last year’s title, Amit joined the elite group of Filipino world champions that include Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Ronato “Volcano” Alcano, and Francisco “Django” Bustamante.
The qualifying round of this year’s event started last Oct. 23 at the Star Billiards in Manila.
Meanwhile, Warren Kiamco lost to Corey Deuel in a thrilling quarterfinal clash, 12-14 and bowed out in the US Open 9-ball Championship won by Darren Appleton in Virginia Saturday.
Appleton, who defeated two-time champion Mika Immonen, 11-9, for the hot seat, beat Deuel, 14-12, to complete a run of nine straight matches to capture the crown.
Source: June Navarro, inquirer.net
-- As a devoted disciple, the last thing Rubilen Amit would do is to give Efren ``Bata'' Reyes enough reason to doubt her.
Again, Amit didn't disappoint Thursday night, backing up Reyes with superb pocketing and positioning as Team Philippines mowed down Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park of Korea, 9-7, to rule the 2009 World Mixed Doubles Classic.
Armed with a mechanical bridge, Amit led the decisive 10th ball rolling smoothly to the corner pocket for the victory that sealed the deal for the Filipinos and the $6,000 champions' purse that went with it.
Reyes and Amit actually exploited a miscalculated masse by Williams on the blue marble on the 16th frame that opened the floodgates of opportunity for the two world champions to sweep the table clean.
``We just tried not to get pressured. I guess getting the advice of Tata Efren (Reyes) and following them on those important shots proved beneficial,'' said Amit, the reigning World 10-ball women's champion who looks up to Reyes as a mentor and father.
Scratching their last three breaks, Reyes and Amit engaged the Koreans in an intense exchange of placement shots in the 15th rack with the Filipinos getting the better end after Park exposed the decisive three ball that put Team Philippines on the hill, 8-7.
Down two racks to none, the Filipinos capitalized on a miscalculated attempt by Park on the second ball to wipe out the marbles and take the third frame.
The Koreans bounced back in the succeeding set for a 3-1 advantage but just as they were about widen the gap, Williams drove the cue behind the purple ball that blocked his view on the three, allowing the Filipinos to cash in.
Williams also muffed a seven-nine combo on the corner, providing ample opportunity for Reyes and Amit to seize the seventh rack and sweep the table clean on the next set to level the count at 4-all.
From there, both teams traded frames before Williams reduced the match to a race-to-two encounter with a carom on the yellow ball that led the tenth to the corner pocket.
"We won because we worked as a team and I am blessed with a gifted partner," said “The Magician”, referring to his partner. Amit meanwhile acknowledged Reyes' guidance whenever she missed shots.
"It's great to be paired with him and he reviews what went wrong with my missed shots," said Amit, who will be joining the RP Team on SEA games on December 6-19.
Lee Vann Corteza and Filipino-foreign player Shanelle Loraine of Team Philippines B subdued Team Europe's Mika Immonen and Borana Andoni, 7-3, to bag third-place honors and the $1,500 prize. Immonen and Andoni pocketed $1,000 for landing fourth.
Japan's Hayato Hijikata and Kaori Ebe secured fifth place after downing Shane Van Boening and Amy Chen of the United States, 5-3, in the tournament supported by Dragon Promotions, Puyat Sports, ABS-CBN Sports and ESPN-Star Sports.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, abs-cbnnews.com
-- Efren “Bata” Reyes and Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit of Team Philippines A bagged the 1st World Mixed Doubles Classic title after edging Korea in an exciting finals match at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center in Libis, Quezon City Thursday night.
Reyes and Amit posted a 9-7 win in their race-to-nine match against Koreans Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park.
They pocketed the $6,000 top prize in the event presented by Nuvo Land Philippines, Inc. and Dragon Promotions and supported by Puyat Sports, ABS-CBN Sports, ESPN-Star Sports and the Philippine Star.
The Koreans settled for second place and a $3,000 check.
"We would like to thank the organizer (Dragon Promotions) and the sponsors for staging this event," said Reyes, who became the First Filipino World 9-Ball Champion in 1999 in Cardiff, Wales.
Team Philippines B of Lee Vann Corteza and Shanelle Loraine earlier defeated the pair of Mika Immonen and Borana Andoni of Team Europe, 7-3, in the battle for third place to received $2,000 purse.
“At least we finish third,” said Corteza, who lost to Immonen in the finals of World Ten Ball Championships.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
-- Efren “Bata” Reyes and Rubilen Amit proved to be the perfect foil against today’s most dominant continent in the pool scene.
Reyes and Amit showed off the playing form that made them toasts of Philippine pool by vanquishing Team Europe’s Mika Immonen and Borana Andoni, 7-1, in the 2009 World Mixed Doubles Classic Wednesday at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center in Libis, Quezon City.
Thus, they advanced to the finals against Team Korea. Title match is set on Thursday.
“We know the caliber of the European players. They are tough to beat,” said Reyes, the 1999 World Pool Champion and four-time world 8-ball winner. “I think we just caught them on an off day.”
Immonen was inconsistent throughout the match.
“I played a horrible game,” admitted Immonen, who retained his US Open title and won the World Ten Ball Championship this year.
Team Europe still has a shot for third place in the $12,000 tournament supported by Puyat Sports, ABS-CBN Sports, ESPN-Star Sports and the Philippine Star.
Team Korea secured the first seat in the finals of the event presented by Nuvo Land Philippines, Inc. and Dragon Promotions by beating Team Philippines “B,” 7-3. The pair of Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park topped Group B with a 2-0 mark.
Team Philippines B, composed of 2009 World Ten Ball Championship finalist Lee Vann Corteza and Fil-Am Shanelle Loraine, will face Team USA’s Shane Van Boening and Amy Chen in the evening session for the right to play in the battle for third.
The loser would meet the winless Team Japan.
Source: abs-cbnnews.com
-- World Ten Ball champ Mika Immonen combined with Borana Andoni as Team Europe beat Japan in the opener of the 2009 World Mixed Doubles Classic Tuesday at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center in Libis, Quezon City.
Team Europe outscored Japanese duo Hayato Hijikata and Kaori Ebe, 7-5, extending Immonen’s streak in international tournaments.
The Fin had just defeated RP’s Lee Vann Corteza in the final of the World Ten Ball Championship Monday night.
Immonen also won his second straight US Open title last month.
“I just felt like I can win every match I play,” he said.
His success rubbed off to his playing partner.
“Mika’s winning habit is contagious,” said Andoni, who hails from Albania.
But Team Japan didn’t go down without a fight. They actually took control of the match early and had several chances to pull off an upset in the event presented by Nuvo Land Philippines, Inc. and Dragon Promotions.
After racing to a 5-3 lead, the Japanese had two chances to reach the hill. But Ebe and Hijikata took turns in missing easy shots late in the racks.
Ebe missed a tough-angled shot on the nine-ball to let Immonen and Andoni equalize on the 10th rack while Hijikata’s shot on the 10-ball rattled out on the 11th.
The six teams in the $12,000 event supported by Puyat Sports, ABS-CBN Sports, ESPN-Star Sports and Philippine Star are divided into two groups.
Team Philippines “A” of Efren “Bata” Reyes and Rubilen Amit, Team Europe and Team Japan composed Group A while Team Philippines “B” of Corteza and Fil-Am Shanelle Loraine, Team Korea of Charlie Williams and Eunji Park and Team USA of Shane Van Boening and Amy Chen comprised Group B.
The top teams after a group round robin will dispute the title and the top prize of $6,000 on Thursday.
Source: philstar.com
-- Pool icon Efren “Bata” Reyes and multiple Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Lee Vann Corteza team up with their lady counterparts as they begin their quest in the 2009 World Mixed Doubles Classic today at the Nuvo City Lifestyle Center, C5 corner Calle Industria in Libis, Quezon City.
Reyes will partner with women’s World 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit for the Team Philippines A while Corteza and Fil-Am stunner Shanelle Loraine will spearhead Team Philippines B’s campaign in the six-team event.
The 10-ball tournament, produced by Dragon Promotions, will be telecast live on ESPN Star Sports and ABS-CBN throughout Asia and the Philippines.
Other teams seeing action in the tournament, held in cooperation with Puyat Sports, headed by Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, are Team USA, Team Europe, Team Japan and Team Korea.
Shane Van Boening and Amy Chen banner Team USA while newly crowned World 10-Ball champion Mika Immonen and Borana Andoni will spearhead Team Europe’s title drive.
Team Japan is composed of Hayato Hijikata and Kaori Ebe while Charlie Williams and Eun Ji Park make up Team Korea.
