INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - Diehard billiards fans are keenly awaiting the staging of our own version of the “Battle of the Sexes” which pits newly crowned World Women’s 10-Ball champion Rubilen Amit against her male counterparts.

But how will Amit fare against the men, who are—without question —the more experienced players?

Still, the 27-year-old Amit, a mainstay of the powerhouse Puyat Sports stable, is no stranger to playing against men. In fact, she was able to improve her performances in past major pool tournaments here and abroad by frequently training with men.

“Times have changed,” said one firm believer of the equality of the sexes. “What men can do, women should also be able to do,” he stressed. “Amit’s win in the World Women’s 10-Ball has enabled her to join a handful of true world billiards champions like Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes, Alex Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano.”

Today, most men do not consider athletic women unfeminine. In fact, women who transform their training and accomplishments into fame can leapfrog up the social ladder.

Take Amit for instance. Ever since she emerged victorious in the world championship and pocketed the $20,000 first prize—the biggest ever in her flourishing billiards career—the cue artist from Mandaue City has made the headlines, appeared in television talk shows and been invited to several radio programs.

“I’m happy I’m still alive,” Amit said shortly after beating two-time world champion Liu Shin-mei of Chinese Taipei in the finals at SM North Edsa last June 6. “The pressure was too much, but I survived.”

Amit won a total of three gold medals in the 2005 and 2007 Southeast Asian Games.

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Meanwhile, everything is all set for the rotation game between Reyes and Alcano and the Scotch Doubles All-Star Challenge at the annex building of the SM North Edsa on June 25 and 26.

Clashing in the doubles matches are the tandems of Dennis Orcollo-Gandy Valle (Bugsy Promotions), Lee Van Corteza-Warren Kiamco (Negros Billiards Stable), Alex Pagulayan-Rodolfo Luat (Puyat Sports) and Ramil Gallego-Antonio Lining (BMPAP Selection).

Organized by Camella Communities, the event is supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines and sanctioned by the POC-recognized Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines.

A race-to-9 affair, it will be telecast by ABS-CBN Studio 23 from 2 to 6 p.m. every day.

Hall of Famer Reyes, 55, and the 36-year-old Alcano, the only local player who has beaten Reyes in rotation, both started their rags-to-riches billiards career playing rotation.

As old-time pool habitués used to say: “Rotation is the original billiards game of the Filipinos. Bata (Reyes) first made an impact on the world pool scene playing rotation.”

That is why Alcano is leaving nothing to chance. “I’ve waited too long to get this opportunity,” he said in Filipino.

The pride of Calamba, Laguna vowed to stage a comeback this time. Alcano last won the World 9-Ball Championship and the World 8-Ball crown in 2007. “I’m hungry right now.”

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Congrats to FEU coach Glenn Capacio and his hard-fighting Tamaraws for winning this year’s FilOil Flying V Pre-Season MVP Cup by downing the UE Red Warriors, 84-78, recently at the Arena in San Juan. With the victory, the Tams established themselves as a strong contender in the coming UAAP season. FEU rookie Ryan Roose Garcia was named MVP of the tournament… Kudos, too, to Letran College coach Elmer Latonio and his never-say-die Squires for retaining the Filipino-Chinese Basketball League (FCBL) Freego Jeans Cup by nipping La Salle Zobel, 85-82, at the Buddhacare gym recently.