Battle of the champs: Amit takes down Ouschan in World 10-Ball

Top Filipino bet Rubelin Amit (photo) jumps to the last 16 after defeating defending champion Jasmine Ouschan.

MANILA, Philippines—Rubilen Amit put away reigning titlist Jasmin Ouschan of Austria with seeming ease in the 2011 Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Friday at the Robinson’s Galleria.

Amit, who snared the championship in the same tournament in 2009, capped her strike with a risky yet smart 6-10 ball combination for a 6-2 victory.

The 30-year-old World champion wasted no time in piling up the lead, 5-1, after a heartbreaking miss by Ouschan on the 10-ball in the third rack.

“I had a tough time at first, but I was very fortunate to get the opportunities in the table and get my groove,” said Amit, who will also represent the Philippines in the 2011 Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia two weeks from now.

Amit got a bye and headed straight to the last 16 of her group, which had Ouschan, Taipei’s ShinMei Liu, United States’ Monica Webb, Russia’s Nataliya Sherostan and China’s Wu Jing.

A total of $75,000 is at stake even as the grand winner will get $20,000 prize in the event organized by Dragon Promotions and Yalin.

On the hill and was just three balls away from wrapping up the match, Amit scratched as she was aiming for the seven ball  which allowed a frustrated Ouschan to take a rack.

But luck seemed to have deserted Ouschan, who had chalked up a 4-0 record prior to the loss, as she committed another error, paving way for Amit to run out the table.

Ouschan finished second in their group, and will have to fight the grind in the round-of-24.

Another Filipino contender, 34-year-old Iris Ranola suffered a blow in her bid to make it to the next round after she fell in the hands of a young Anastasia Necheava of Russia, 5-6.