Amit edges Chinese foe to rule World 9-Ball Women's Championship

MANILA, Philippines -- There are so many reasons the Philippines is called the billiards epicenter of the planet.

And one of those is an iron-willed Filipina named Rublen Amit.

Taking a page out of her idol and living legend Efren “Bata” Reyes’ shot-making magnificence, Amit outlasted former champion Chen Siming of China, 3-1 (1-4, 4-2, 4-2, 4-3), on Sunday to rule the WPA World 9-Ball Women’s Championship in Hamilton, New Zealand.

It came six months after countryman Carlo Biado ruled the World 10-Ball tilt in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Amit also joined Filipino pool luminaries who conquered the world before her, including Reyes, whom she had patterned her game from.

It was a special moment that reverberated back home as Amit ended her long, protracted search by becoming the first Filipina to ever win the event after coming so close in 2007 before falling to Chinese Pan Xiaoting in Taoyuan, Taiwan.

On this one, Amit, a two-time world 10-Ball titlist, made sure it didn't escape her firm grasp.

But it almost slipped away after Chen took the opening set and, when trailing 2-3, in the second, appeared to have gained the momentum when she hid the 1-ball behind the 7-ball in an apparently devious safety shot.

Amit though borrowed a book from Reyes' library of miraculous and magical shots by safely grazing the 1-ball and sending the cue ball slowly rolling back and bumping the 9-ball straight down the right center pocket to save the point and the set that knotted it at one apiece.

After Amit quickly took a 2-1 set lead, Chen got another opportunity to stay alive when, leading 3-2, she came two balls away from taking the fourth set, forcing a 2-2 set tie and sending it to a fifth and deciding set.

Until disaster struck as the Chinese shockingly missed an easy 8-ball that allowed Amit to steal the point and tied it at 3-3 before cleaning up the final rack in sealing the deal.

When it was over, Amit held off her tears, hugged the referee, Chen and buddy and countrywoman Chezka Centeno — a world champion herself having won 10-Ball a year ago — screamed in jubilation and raised her stick before finally acknowledging the crowd that included a small but a loud flag-waving Filipino crowd.

For her feat, Amit pocketed $50,000, or a cool P2.7 million.

But more than that, she will go home a heroine that she always is and back into the arms of sports-hungry Filipinos constantly searching for champions.