Chezka Centeno was asked to change her socks before beginning her Predator Pro Billiard Series Women’s Showdown quarter-final against female world number one Chou Chieh-Yu in Las Vegas.

Centeno, who defeated Chen Siming to crown herself the Women’s Las Vegas Open champion days beforehand, was notified by a tournament official that she would need to change her footwear due to skin being shown.

The Filipina sensation had worn the same footwear during her Women’s Las Vegas Open triumph a week beforehand, although her ankle socks suddenly became a problem ahead of the Showdown quarter-finals.

Being forced to change into footwear deemed more appropriate proved an obvious distraction ahead of her match against the reigning women’s world 9-ball champion, which she confirmed via social media.

“Wrapping up my journey at the Women’s Showdown, I wasn’t feeling really good during the recent game,” Zamboanga City’s Centeno posted to her Facebook followers.

“Long story short, I was asked to change into longer socks right before the game, saying a bit of my skin was showing. This has never been a concern before, particularly in the previous Pro Billiard Series events where I consistently competed in ankle socks.

“There was also no indication in the provided dress code prohibiting ankle socks or a slight visibility of skin. I wasn’t allowed to play until I changed my socks, and the insistence on a specific sock length disrupted my focus.

“I’m not one to explain myself or complain about rules. However, there’s room for improvement in implementing these rules well in advance and officially announcing them, while also focusing more on what could help the players during the tournament.

“In an effort to maintain my focus, I gave my best during the game. Regardless, Rita proved to be the superior player and she rightfully earned her spot. I made a few errors, including an unfortunate scratch, which were beyond my control. I accepted my defeat with grace.

“On our best days, mistakes can still happen. As much as the desire for us to win, it’s also important to accept defeat when it’s not meant for us. There are still a lot of games beyond our days, and we need to shake it off and move forward.

“You can’t win them all but you can bounce back stronger next time. I’m still very happy and grateful for the outcome of my Las Vegas tour.”