Scrambling Amit start in World 10-ball

MANILA—Reigning titlist Rubilen Amit of the Philippines shook off a jittery start to beat Angel Paglia of the United States, 6-3, yesterday in the opener of the Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship at Robinsons Galeria.

The 5-foot Amit, a double-gold medalist in the 2009 Laos Southeast Asian Games, struggled to find her rhythm before dominating the eighth and ninth racks to seal her first win in Group 1.

Amit later said she needs to play better in the coming days to be able to duplicate her 2009 triumph that netted her $20,000.

Britain’s Allison Fisher, currently ranked world No. 1, joined Amit in the roster of winners when she downed Venezuela’s Mirjani Grujicic, 6-2, in Group 2.

Another Filipino campaigner, Iris Ranola, fared even better when she trounced Canadian Veronique Menard, 6-0, and Chinese Wu Jing, 6-2, in succession in Group 5.

Other early results in the $75,000 tournament saw Gillian Go of the Philippines yielding to Britanny Bryant of Canada and Charlene Chai Zeet Huey of Singapore blanking Joanne Ashton of Canada, 6-0.

Despite two unforced errors, the 28-year-old Amit took the first two racks to the delight of the gallery.

Paglia took the third rack, but allowed Amit, a protege of sportsman-businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, to surge ahead at 3-1 when she declared that she committed a foul.

Unfazed, Paglia took two of the next three racks to threaten at 4-3, but Amit responded to the challenge by taking the next two racks.

The top three players in each of the eight groups will advance to the knockout round where the top group finishers get a first-round bye.