Chezka Centeno beats Chinese foe to cop Women's 10-ball title

Chezka Centeno reigned supreme in the 2023 WPA World 10-Ball Women's Championship after defeating China's Han Yu, 9-5, on Sunday night (Manila time) in Austria.

The 24-year-old Centeno, who is set to bring home $50,000 in cash prizes, got off to a hot start by racing to a 5-1 advantage over the Chinese bet in the race-to-nine match.

Han, however, caught up, coming back to within 5-4. But Centeno won the next three matches to build an 8-4 lead en route to the win.

The victory also served as some measure of revenge for the Filipina as it was also the same Chinese opponent who eliminated compatriot Rubilen Amit during the quarterfinals with a score of 9-3.

Earlier, Centeno swept Melanie Sussenguth of Germany in Round 1 (9-0) before defeating Chou Chieh-Yu of Chinese Taipei in the quarters (9-2). Centeno then pulled off a tight 9-8 victory against Allison Fisher in the semifinals to book a finals ticket.

Centeno has won a number of titles for the Philippines on the international stage, copping gold medals during the 2015, 2017, and 2019 edition of the SEA Games but in the nine-ball event.

In the 2019 SEA Games here, Centeno also won a gold in the 10-ball event while she finished with a silver medal during the 2021 Hanoi.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA Integrated News