In a world of sports that increasingly favors strength and physicality, where young athletes often use their superior physique to overwhelm their opponents, Efren "Bata" Reyes – a small, white-haired man with a humble demeanor and a gentle smile – once again proved that intelligence and artistry are still the pinnacle of billiards.
The match took place in an exciting atmosphere as the audience packed the place to witness the confrontation between a young player full of strength and confidence, facing off against one of the living legends of the world of billiards.
The young player – an emerging phenomenon who had defeated a series of strong opponents with powerful shots, speed and lightning-fast finishing ability – entered the match with confidence that bordered on arrogance. He once declared to the media: “I am not afraid of Reyes. Even if he is a legend, his era is over. Billiards is now a game of strength and agility.”
That statement spread at a dizzying speed on social networks, causing fierce debate among fans. One side said that he was too arrogant and disrespectful to his predecessors. The other side said that times have changed, and Reyes – at the age of 70 – could hardly compete with the energetic young generation.
However, as always, Efren Reyes stepped onto the court gently, without making noise or showing off. He smiled, bowed to the audience and his opponent, then slowly prepared his cue – an old cue, not as shiny as the thousand-dollar custom cues that young players often use. However, after only a few first shots, the whole audience fell silent.
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Silent because of shock. Silent because of disbelief.
While the young opponent tried to use power to finish quickly, Reyes took the audience into another world - where every shot was calculated down to the millimeter, where the ball paths did not follow the usual rules, but were controlled by a magic hand. At times, the audience had to exclaim: "Impossible! How did he see that angle?" Or: "Is that three-cushion carom magic or something, that the ball hit exactly like in a dream?"
The young player began to lose his composure. He was no longer as confident as before. Each of Reyes' shots seemed to send a silent message: "Son, power is good, but not enough." The "masse", "kick shot", and especially the "Z shot" made both the cue ball and the target ball glide across the table in unexpected ways.
The climax was when Reyes was put on the defensive by his opponent – ​​a tight shot that made everyone think Reyes would have to give up his turn. But no! Reyes quietly walked around the table, observed carefully, then made an extremely difficult shot: the cue ball circled three cushions, lightly dodged the block ball, hit the object ball, and... the ball fell neatly into the pocket. The whole audience exploded! The commentator shouted in amazement: “MAGIC! PURE MAGIC! That’s why they call him The Magician!”.
Reyes’ opponent stood still. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. Perhaps, at that moment, he realized that, to truly become a good player, strength alone is not enough. One must have intelligence, composure, and most importantly – a deep love for the sport.
The audience – who had doubted Reyes’ ability because of his age – now stood up and applauded nonstop. No one said anything, just a thunderous applause as a thank you for the amazing performance. Some people were moved to tears, because they had just witnessed a piece of living billiards history.
After the match, when asked about the previous provocations, Reyes just smiled gently and said:
“I didn’t come here to win or lose. I came here to play billiards the way I love it. And if anyone learned anything from today’s match, I’m happy.”
That statement made the whole audience ponder. Because in a world that is racing for speed and achievement, Reyes reminded everyone that the essence of art – in any sport – is feeling, the connection between the soul and action.
The initial silence – when everyone was shocked by the unbelievable technique – was now replaced by deep respect. Fans left the stadium not only with a sense of satisfaction, but also with a lesson in attitude, humility, and the value of perseverance.
Efren Reyes – a simple man from the Philippines – once again silenced the stadium not with words, but with his cue stick and artistic heart.
