For the third time in her career, Chezka Centeno has crowned herself a world champion.
The 27-year-old Centeno outlasted England’s Kelly Fisher, 9-6, in the final of the 2026 Oneida WPA Women’s World 8-Ball Championship in Green Bay, Wisconsin, on Monday morning (Philippine time). The victory came against the two-time world champion and former world No. 1.
The triumph marked Centeno’s third world championship, adding the 2026 Women’s World 8-Ball crown to her World 10-Ball Championship titles in 2023 and 2025.
Holding an 8-6 advantage, Centeno missed the 12-ball that would have left her with only the 8-ball to seal the championship.
Fisher, however, was ruled to have committed a foul on a safety attempt following an instant replay review, giving Centeno ball-in-hand and the opportunity to complete her redemption run by clinching the title.
The opening 10 racks featured a tightly contested battle, with both players exchanging momentum.
Fisher claimed the opening rack and maintained the lead at 2-1 before Centeno took control, moving ahead for the first time after the fifth rack.
After the match was deadlocked at 5-5, the Zamboanga City native won the next two racks to create separation.
Fisher trimmed the deficit to 7-6 and had a chance to level the match in the 14th rack.
However, she miscued on what appeared to be a routine corner-pocket shot, allowing Centeno to clear the table and reach the hill at 8-6.
Centeno went undefeated throughout the tournament.
In the double-elimination qualifying rounds, she defeated Ada Lio of the United States, 7-2, Eylul Kibaroglu of Turkey, 7-3, and Seo Seoa of South Korea, 7-5.
She was even more dominant in the knockout stage, defeating four former world No. 1 players en route to the championship.
Centeno first avenged last year’s heartbreaking finals loss by defeating defending champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, 8-4, in the Round of 16. Ouschan, a two-time world champion, had edged Centeno, 9-8, in the 2025 title match.
In the quarterfinals, Centeno overcame her mentor, Filipina legend and three-time world champion Rubilen Amit, 8-6.
She then advanced to the semifinals, where she defeated Chinese Taipei’s Wei Tzu-chien, 8-5. Wei held the world No. 1 ranking in August 2025.
