At the age of 68, when many people have enjoyed their old age with memories of a glorious time, Efren "Bata" Reyes - the man known as the Wizard of Billiards - is still surprising the whole of America. Not because he is a living legend, but because at an age when it seemed like he had given up the stick, he stepped onto the stage with the same calm and confident demeanor as before - and especially to confront America's "undefeated super rookie", a young talent hailed as the future of the world of billiards.
The match took place within the framework of an international friendly tournament held in Las Vegas - a gathering place for emerging stars and veteran legends. Reyes' appearance, at first, was only seen as a performance of gratitude to the fans. But then, everything changed dramatically when his opponent was Jason "Blitz" Morgan, a 21-year-old who had not lost since his professional debut at the beginning of the year. With a 19-match winning streak and thunderous shots that terrified opponents, Morgan entered the match with great confidence.
In the pre-match press conference, Jason even made a provocative statement:
"I respect the past, but today is the story of the new generation. I didn't come here to learn, I came here to win."
That statement caused a stir in the billiards community, and also sparked one of Reyes' most magical performances in years.
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Right from the first games, people could clearly feel the difference in youth. Morgan entered the match like a whirlwind: strong, quick, not afraid to take risks. Meanwhile, Reyes was calm, observant and performed his techniques as if he were playing a classical piece. There were times when it seemed like Reyes would be drawn into his opponent's fast-paced play, but it was an illusion. He began to counterattack with "unbelievable" shots - hidden shots, sophisticated passes accompanied by absolute control.
By the 5th game, when Morgan was leading 3-1, the whole audience thought they would witness an easy victory for the young player. But Reyes, as usual, started to "strike" at the right time.
The most memorable shot came in the 6th game. Morgan, after forcing Reyes into a situation where the cue ball was stuck at the corner of the table, believed that there was no way out. The audience also fell silent, thinking that the game was over. But Reyes, as if communicating with the balls, hit a 3-cushion shot behind his back to perfectly pocket the 3 ball. The audience exploded. Even Morgan was stunned, standing still for a few seconds, then could only smile and applaud in admiration.
From that moment on, the match changed completely. Reyes began to unleash a series of showy but absolutely accurate shots, causing the American audience to continuously stand up and applaud, chanting his name. The TV commentator described:
“This is no longer a match – this is magic. Reyes is not hitting balls, he is telling stories with his cue stick.”
The match lasted until the 11th game, the score was 5-5. A decisive game, and Morgan – under enormous pressure – made a mistake when he missed the 6 ball. The opportunity opened up for Reyes. And he did not miss. Each of his shots after that was like a piece of music: gentle, precise, graceful. When the last ball fell into the hole, the whole court stood up and applauded loudly. Those who had thought that Reyes was just there “for fun” were now completely defeated by this genius.
Morgan walked up to Reyes after the match, shaking his hand with admiration in his eyes, and said softly enough for the microphone to pick up:
“I understand why you’re called a wizard. It’s magic.”
The event immediately shocked the global billiards community. Social media was flooded with images and slow-motion clips of Reyes’ magical shots. The hashtag #ReyesMagic climbed to the top trending in the US less than an hour after the match. Former world champion Earl Strickland wrote on Twitter:
“I lost to him when I was at my peak. Now seeing him at 68 still playing like that, I have nothing more to say. Legends are forever.”
This was not just a personal victory for Reyes. It was a victory of character, experience, and most importantly – of art. While the world of billiards is increasingly caught up in the race for speed, where young players compete like precision machines, Reyes reminds us that billiards is more than just a sport – it is a performance, an emotion, a heart.
With this victory, Reyes has proven that age cannot defeat talent and passion. He does not need to win, does not need a title – because he is already a living icon, an artist on the billiards stage. And no matter how strong his opponents are, he can still make the whole world stunned every time he picks up the cue.
68 years old – and still holding America’s breath. It will probably be a long time before we see a player like Efren Reyes – who turns billiards into magic, and turns the hearts of fans into endlessly cheering stands.
