In the history of Asian billiards, perhaps there has never been a match that has made fans as breathless as the confrontation between living legend Efren "Bata" Reyes and "Queen of 9 Balls" Pan Xiaoting at the top tournament of the San Miguel Asian Tour.
Dubbed the "Fight of the Century", this match is not only a battle between two outstanding individuals, but also a symbol of the intersection between two generations, two schools - one side is the mystical master technique of a billiard wizard, and the other side is the precision, elegance and steel spirit of a feminist icon in Asian sports.
As soon as the information about this match was announced, the entire Asian billiards community was excited. Every newspaper, every sports forum mentioned this fateful confrontation. Pan Xiaoting - a former world champion, is a symbol of the strong rise of women in a world dominated by men. Meanwhile, Efren Reyes – now in his 60s – is still in top form, with incredible shots and shots that only he can see.
Many people predict that Pan Xiaoting will play safe, control the game, and take advantage of Reyes’s age-related slowness. But there are also many experts who believe that “Wizard Reyes” still has enough magic to overshadow anyone.
When the whistle blew, the atmosphere in the Manila stadium exploded. Pan Xiaoting quickly took the advantage with machine-like precision breaks, continuously leading 2-0 with incredible composure. The crowd cheering for Reyes began to quiet down – they sensed the danger coming from the Chinese player.
VIDEO :
But Efren Reyes is not someone who goes down easily. In the third game, he made an unbelievable “kick shot”, sending the 3 ball running around the table, through a narrow gap and lightly hitting the target ball – a move that made the whole audience stand up and applaud in amazement. Reyes’s wisdom and experience began to show. He took the lead to 2-1, then leveled the score at 2-2 with a series of artistic “run-outs”.
From the fifth game onwards, the match became a breathtaking exchange. Pan used precise shots, controlling the table extremely tightly, but Reyes was flexible with extremely sophisticated defensive techniques. The match lasted nearly 15 minutes when both sides continuously used “safety” moves that made the cue ball dance in the middle of the table, without ever touching the target ball.
The audience held their breath. Every shot was a psychological battle. Pan always kept a cold face, sharp eyes. Reyes, on the other hand, smiled slightly, occasionally shaking his head as if he were joking, but in fact each of his shots was highly calculated.
In the ninth game, when the score was 4-4, Pan Xiaoting was leading the turn and was on the verge of finishing the game. But a 7-ball missed the ball and bounced off the ice, leaving the table open. The entire court fell silent as Reyes stepped up. He watched the table for a few seconds, then made a shot with his weaker hand – sending the white ball through the gap between the two defense balls, then sending the 7-ball ricocheting across the table and into the corner pocket as if by remote control. No one could believe their eyes. In the stands, shouts of "Bata! Bata!" rang out like thunder. He took the lead 5-4.
But true to the character of a champion, Pan Xiaoting did not give up. She fought back strongly in the tenth game with a perfect series of combos, bringing the match to a 5-5 tie. Her face began to show determination, even a bit colder. The match was now as tense as a string.
The 11th game – the deciding game. Reyes won the break. The shot was strong but controlled, and luck was on his side. The 1 ball fell into the middle pocket, and the 2 and 3 balls were in favorable positions. He handled each shot gently as if he were composing a piece of music. When it came to the 8 ball, the whole audience stood up, holding their breath.
Reyes smiled slightly, then hit the last shot – the 9 ball lightly curled into the corner pocket. The victory went to Efren "Bata" Reyes 6-5.
Pan Xiaoting stepped forward, hugging Reyes amid the audience's unceasing applause. Despite losing, she still held her head high – because she had fought evenly with the greatest legend in Asia.
Reyes, with a humble smile, said after the match: “Pan is a true warrior. I was just a little luckier.” Pan replied: “It was the honor of my life to compete with him.”
This match was not just a sports confrontation, but a historical moment. It proved that billiards has no age or gender distinction – as long as you have passion, technique, and the spirit of not giving up, you can do miracles. And that day, in Fight of the Century, Reyes and Pan Xiaoting together created a beautiful symphony, engraved in the hearts of billiards fans around the world.
