MANILA — Filipino cue artist Rubilen Amit has added another prestigious title to her career, winning the Women’s Challenge of Champions in Las Vegas, Nevada. Amit triumphed over Russia’s Kristina Tkach in a thrilling final, securing a 6-3 victory in the 8-Ball competition between two World Pool Association (WPA) champions.

Amit, the 2024 Women’s World 9-Ball champion, faced off against the current World 10-Ball titleholder, Tkach, in the highly anticipated final.

Despite not having played 8-Ball competitively for over a decade, Amit displayed poise and skill in claiming the crown.

In an interview with the Predator Pro Billiard Series, Amit admitted the challenge of returning to 8-Ball after such a long break.

“It’s quite unusual, especially since I haven’t played 8-Ball for more than 10 years competitively. But it was interesting and fun,” Amit shared after her victory.

Amit’s performance was a testament to her resilience, with several of her matches during the tournament going down to the wire. She acknowledged the pressure of the tense moments, especially in hill-hill situations, where the match could go either way. “During the match, I’ve been praying a lot because it was the nerves. It was a lot like most of the matches were hill-hill in the sets, so I was just very grateful that I was able to pull it through,” Amit said.

The victory earned the 43-year-old from Mandaue, Cebu, a $15,000 (P855,000) cash prize.

Looking ahead, Amit is preparing to defend her title at the upcoming WPA World 9-Ball Championships, scheduled for July 2-6 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “I’m looking forward to the World Championships in July,” Amit stated, expressing excitement for the next major event in her career.

In addition to her 8-Ball victory, Amit is also making waves in the Las Vegas Women’s Open, where she has reached the semifinals. She secured her spot in the next round after defeating Taiwan’s Wang Wan-Ling in the quarterfinals.

With her continued success on the international billiards stage, Rubilen Amit remains one of the sport’s premier players, further solidifying her legacy as a dominant force in women’s pool.

ia/mnm