The Philippines’ billiards champion, Rubilen Amit, clinched consecutive titles in Las Vegas, showcasing her dominance on the international stage.
The 43-year-old Filipina billiards star defeated Kristina Tkach of Russia in the Women’s Challenge of Champions—a showdown between the 9-ball and 10-ball champions of 2024—held on February 28, securing the $15,000 cash prize.
Amit dominated the 9-ball match in straight sets, while Tkach claimed the 10-ball with a 2-0 victory. The Filipina cue artist then sealed the overall title with a decisive 6-3 win in the 8-ball match.
On March 1, Amit repeated her triumph by defeating Han Yu of China in the championship game of the Kamui Las Vegas Women’s Open, securing the $22,500 top prize with a final score of 4-2, 4-1, 3-4, 4-2.
On her path to victory, Amit navigated through the losers’ bracket to reach the knockout stage of the Las Vegas Women’s Open. She secured straight-set wins over Americans Ada Lio and Briana Laine but fell to fellow Filipina Chezka Centeno, 2-0. Undeterred, she rebounded with a commanding 2-0 sweep against Singapore’s Silviana Lu, earning her place in the knockout round.
The pride of Cebu showcased resilience on her journey to the finals, securing victory in all her matches despite losing the first set.
Here are Amit’s scores against players from the United Kingdom, Chinese Taipei, and Austria during the Las Vegas Women’s Open:
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Round of 16 – Defeated Kelly Fisher (United Kingdom) 3-4, 4-2, 4-1, 4-2
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Quarterfinals – Overcame Wan Ling Wang (Chinese Taipei) 2-4, 4-3, 4-3, 4-2
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Semifinals – Prevailed against Jasmin Ouschan (Austria) 1-4, 4-1, 4-0, 4-3
Overall, Amit took home a total cash prize of $37,500, equivalent to approximately P2.25 million.
In September 2024, the Philippines’ billiards champion made history by winning the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) Women’s World 9-Ball Championship in New Zealand.
Back in 2019, Amit secured the No. 3 spot in the Women’s World Pool Rankings (WPA) following her silver medal finish at the World 9-Ball China Open.
