Chezka Centeno and Rubilen Amit dumped their rivals to open their respective title campaigns on Tuesday, Nov. 13, in the 2024 WPA World 10-Ball Women’s Championship in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Both enjoying a first-round bye, Centeno opened her title-retention bid in style by routing Silviana Lu of Indonesia, 4-0, 4-2, while Amit flashed her vintage form and whipped Oliwia Zalewska of Poland, 4-1, 4-1, in this race-to-4, best-of-3 set preliminary format.

The victories arranged Centeno her next meeting with China’s Han Yu, while Amit next faces Japan’s Miina Tani.

Han, who also earned an opening-round bye, is coming off a 4-2, 4-0 win over United States’ Savannah Easton.

Miina, for her part, first edged Canadian Myriam Lafranchise, 4-1, 4-2, then walloped Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wan-Ling, 4-2, 4-1.

Expect Centeno, though, to thread through the eye of the needle as her meeting with Han is a rematch of their championship match last year where the Filipina bet won, 9-5.

Han boasts of three world 9-ball titles and a semifinalist in three world championships -- in 2017 in the 9-ball event, and in 2011 and 2014 in 10-ball. She also won the China Open 9-Ball title this year.

Centeno seeks to become the first player to win back-to-back titles in the tournament, while Amit is eager to clinch her third crown.

The tournament was actually held annually from its inaugural staging in 2009 until 2013, before taking a nine-year hiatus. They hosted both the 2022 and 2023 editions in Austria.