By KRISTEL SATUMBAGA
Chezka Centeno showed grit and composure under pressure to edge Chinese Taipei’s Wei Tzu-Chien, 8-7, and advance to the semifinals of the 2025 Oneida WPA Women’s 8-Ball World Championship in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Sunday, July 6.
Centeno, who turned 26 just last week, had to dig deep in the one-hour and 45-minute thriller, showcasing impressive shot-making to move one step closer to the coveted crown.
The Zamboanga native was trailing 6-7 in the alternate break format before clearing the table to force a 7-all deadlock. Wei had a golden opportunity to seal the win but came up dry on the break in the final rack, opening the door for Centeno to complete a flawless run-out and clinch her spot in the semifinals.
With the win, Centeno arranged a semifinal showdown with Belarus-born Margarita Fefilova, who earlier routed the more experienced Kristina Tkach, 8-4.
A 2023 World 10-Ball Champion, Centeno advanced to the Round of 16 after dominating victories in group play over Joann Mason Parker (7-1), April Larson (7-3), and Slovenia’s Ana Gradisnik (7-0). She resumed her campaign with an 8-4 triumph over Japan’s Chihiro Kawahara before running into Wei in the quarterfinals.
The other semifinal pairing features Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chia-Hua and Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan. Chen downed Meng-Hsia Hung, 8-6, while Ouschan cruised past Kristina Zlateva, 8-3.
