Earthquakes don't always come from geological faults, but sometimes they come from the cue stick of a living legend — and this time, Germany was the epicenter! At an exhibition tournament in Berlin, where Europe's top players gathered to make their mark and exchange sports culture, the Germans expected an evening filled with victories.
But they didn't expect the whirlwind from the Philippines named Efren "Bata" Reyes to blow all expectations away, leaving the entire room speechless with what just happened.
From the moment he entered the tournament hall, Efren Reyes caught the eye with his humble smile and simple demeanor. While many believed that age had made him no longer the same, Reyes — with more than 40 years of experience at the top — proved that genius never ages.
He entered the table with a German opponent, a young player known as "Germany's golden hope", who had won many championships in Europe. The crowd cheered and cheered non-stop, hoping to witness a spectacular performance from the native player.
But then... everything changed in just a few minutes.
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In the very first game, Reyes made the whole audience hold their breath. Faced with a difficult ball position, with almost no clear path, he suddenly launched a side shot with an extremely precise ball path, causing the cue ball to draw a magical curve and "clean" the table in an unimaginable way.
The crowd was mesmerized, the initially small applause suddenly rose like a tidal wave. The TV commentator could not help but exclaim: "This is not a match anymore, this is a magic show!"
However, Efren still did not stop. The second game, the third game, and then the entire series of victories that followed, were all concerts of precision, calculation, and supreme table feel. Every time he stood in front of the pool table, the whole room held its breath. There were shots that seemed to be mistakes, but then opened up a chain of dominoes that left his opponent unable to respond.
The German — despite his modern technique, youth, and rising confidence — gradually became lost in Reyes's emotional and tactical play.
He kept making small mistakes under psychological pressure, and each time Efren punished him with clean shots like an artist painting with a cue. The mood in the room gradually changed from excitement to amazement, and finally to respectful silence.
The Germans' silence was not because of disappointment, but because they were witnessing something that far exceeded their expectations. In an era where sports sometimes become mechanical and coldly technical, Efren Reyes brings a breath of fresh air — where skill meets emotion, where each shot carries a soul.
Outside the stands, reporters began calling it "The Berlin Earthquake" — an earthquake that came not from the ground but from the cue stick in the hands of the Filipino man in his 60s. Twitter, Facebook and other social media platforms were flooded with clips of the moment Reyes unleashed his magical shots, accompanied by status lines such as:
"Unbelievable!",
"Reyes is a living legend!",
"Germans just watched in silence as he cleared the table!"
There was even a viral clip with millions of views, capturing the moment after a special shot: the audience stood up and applauded for nearly a minute, while Reyes just smiled slightly, bowed his head in gratitude — the true essence of a humble and classy person.
After the match, the reporter asked Reyes how he felt about defeating the young player and impressing the entire audience. He simply replied:
"I just played the way I have played for a long time. If you are happy to see me play, then I am happy."
That is what makes Reyes a legend. Not flashy, not noisy, but always makes people look up. What happened in Germany was not just another victory in his career — but a clear declaration that: "True talent never dies."
Many analysts after the match compared this performance to Reyes' peak in the 1990s. Even at an age when many players have retired, he still retains an incredible sharpness. The biggest difference, perhaps, lies in his unique ability to read the table and handle situations, something that not everyone can learn. It was instinct — and a miracle that only Reyes could create.
The German media later dedicated solemn headlines to Reyes:
"Efren Reyes – The man who silenced Germany!",
"Berlin earthquake came from the Philippines!",
"The genius Reyes: We have never seen anything like it!"
In the hearts of fans, that match will forever be remembered as a true performance art. A testament to the fact that when passion, skill and humility come together, people don't just play sports — they write history.
