Reyes a true legend and fan favourite

Efren Reyes in action in the World 9-Ball  Championship in Doha. The veteran, who gave cue sports a fillip in the Philippines, is a hit with Filipino fans wherever he plays. Inset top left: Francisco Bustamante

Efren Reyes, 59, is a legend. A legend who gave cue sports the fillip it needed in his native Philippines.

And the best part about the man is that he knows what he means to the legion of Filipino fans who throng to his matches wherever he plays.

The World 9-Ball Championship, which is currently crawling its way to the business end at the Al Arabi Indoor Hall, is no different.

The ladies managing the cafeteria request a short timeout from their routine because they want to get clicked with the star.

“I have seen him play on television and now when I saw him in person I wouldn’t have let go this opportunity to get a photo with him,” says Joanne Guray, who works at the cafeteria at the venue. “He has also acted in movies. This one is for keeps,” she beams.

Many fans couldn’t believe their eyes when Reyes lost in the first round of the group stages on the opening day of the event. He bounced back with a win the next day to stay alive in the championship.

Reyes won one of the two world championships that were held in 1999. The event, held in Cardiff, also happened to be the first one ever to be televised.

“Billiards was famous in Philippines, but seeing the big win on television was something else for the fans,” Reyes told Gulf Times. “Ever since, the sport has only grown in the country.”

So much so that Filipinos form by far the biggest contingent in the audience.

Drawing a parallel with cricket and India would be very apt. India’s 1983 World Cup win under Kapil Dev, which was the first major cricket event to be televised, transformed the game in the later years.

Maestros like Sachin Tendulkar have admitted that the event inspired them to play the game. It helped the game grow financially, talent-wise and also in terms of infrastructure.The same, however, cannot be said about cue sports in the Philippines.

Israel Rota and Antonio Gabica are from the Philippines and they work for the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation.“Qatar is my sponsor and so I proudly wear both the flags (Qatar and Philippines) on my shirt. It helped me keep my passion alive,” said Rota, who is also participating at the world championship along with Gabica.

Even as Rota proudly mentions how “every street in Philippines has a billiards parlour”, which explains the fan following, Reyes also highlights the lack of sponsorship for younger players.

“There are many good young players in Philippines but they don’t participate in such tournaments due to lack of sponsorship,” Reyes says.

He knows a thing or two about lack of money in the game. It was also one of the reasons behind him moving to greener pastures in the West.

Hasn’t he felt like helping these players given his experience? “I am still playing else I would have loved to coach. Maybe once I retire I will get into coaching but I don’t know yet,” he says, even as some more fans request him for a photograph.

“It’s just great to see so much support wherever we go,” says 2010 world champion Francisco Bustamante, who also moved to Germany to help finance his exploits in the sport.

“That just helps you do that much better. Makes it special. We are just very proud of our country, people, culture,” Bustamante adds just as fans begin to swarm him.