When two wizards of the world of billiards clashed, fans around the world could not take their eyes off the match considered as "the battle for the throne". On one side was Efren "Bata" Reyes - the man known as The Magician, with the ability to control the balls as if he were performing magic.
On the other side was Chris Melling, a British genius - who not only possessed a very technical playing style but also had a cool confidence and almost absolute precision. The match between them - dubbed by experts as the Confrontation between two wizards - wrote a new epic chapter for the world of billiards.
From the very first minutes, the atmosphere in the stands became as tense as a string. Viewers realized that this was not an ordinary match - this was a battle of intelligence, emotion, and extraordinary skills. Efren entered the table with his familiar demeanor - calm, quiet, his eyes seemed to penetrate every move on the table. Meanwhile, Chris Melling was full of energy, every step showed determination, ready to break any formation of the Filipino legend.
The match began, and right from the first shots, both proved why they were considered "wizards". Chris Melling opened with a series of chillingly accurate shots. He not only controlled the ball well but also created angles that stunned the audience. Clearly, Melling came with the ambition to usurp the throne and send a strong message to the world: He was not afraid of the person considered the number 1 genius in billiards history.
However, what made people fascinated with Efren Reyes was not just technique - but magic. In the third game, when Chris seemed to be completely dominating, a small mistake caused the white ball to miss the corner of the table.
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And then – as only Reyes can do – he executed an incredible kick shot: the cue ball hit the edge of the table, hit the target ball in an unpredictable trajectory, and pocketed it perfectly. The crowd exploded! Even Melling nodded in admiration, mouthing: “Unbelievable…”
From that moment on, Efren Reyes seemed to enter a state of “pure magic”. He read the match like an old book – every move his opponent made was countered by his seemingly impossible shots. Skilled bank shots, perfect ball runs, and control of the table as if he had built it himself – Reyes turned this semi-final into a legendary performance.
However, Chris Melling did not give up easily. He rallied strongly in the middle of the match, winning three consecutive games. Every shot was a declaration of war, a statement that "I am a witch too" - and rightly so, fans began to call this match A Facing of Two Witches - The confrontation between two real witches. Chris's technique now reached a level of sharpness - he played fearlessly, responding to each of Reyes' magic with his own cunning and perfect reading of the table.
The match was so tense that the atmosphere in the arena was almost suffocating. Every breath of the audience seemed to blend with the sound of the ball hitting the table, every clap was a continuous applause for both masters of this sport. The commentator even said: "We are witnessing not a match - but a magic show between two masters."
The climax came in the last game - when the score was tied at 10-10. Everything now depended on a single turn. Chris Melling had the right to serve, and he did very well. The table was spread out in a favorable way. It seemed like the end for Reyes – but a small mistake caused the 5 ball to run close to the edge of the table, missing the pocket. And as if fate had waited, Efren Reyes stepped up to the table with the eyes of an artist preparing for the stroke of a lifetime.
He bent down, touched the club, and made a massé shot – the white ball curved magically, dodged the block ball, hit the 5 ball and pocketed it to a roar from the stands. No one could explain that shot with conventional logic – it was part of Reyes’ magic. And then, he finished the remaining balls one by one with the ease of a king ascending to his throne.
When the last ball fell into the pocket, the whole audience stood up and applauded for many minutes. Chris Melling walked up, hugged Reyes and said: “I lost, but today, I stand in a part of history.” Reyes smiled kindly, nodded – as if he knew that this was not just a victory, but a new legendary chapter in his career.
The match ended, but the echoes remained. Fans around the world passed around clips and unbelievable shots. Forums called this “The Battle for the Throne”, and unanimously acknowledged that Efren Reyes was still the greatest wizard of billiards.
The confrontation between the two wizards was not just a match – but a symbol of the longevity of talent, bravery, and the magic that sports can bring. Regardless of who was a fan of whose, anyone who watched this match admitted: This was one of the best matches of all time.
