Warsaw, Poland, Nov. 20, 2001 - Continuing his magical run this month, Efren "Bata" Reyes won the World Pool League title and the top prize of $15,000 by beating eight of the greatest players in the world who were invited to the tournament in Warsaw, Poland last Sunday.
Reyes was initially not in the roster of participants but businessman-sportsman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat who, together with elder brother Jose Puyat, has sponsored Reyes and other top Filipino players through the years, requested organizers to invite Reyes in addition to Francisco "Django" Bustamante to match the two British players invited, Steve Davis and last year's World Pool League champion, Steve Knight.
Fresh from his record-breaking $160,000 triumph in the Tokyo 9-Ball International tournament last week, Reyes dropped only one match on his way to winning the title this time.
After an epic encounter with Bustamante in the semifinals which he won 7-6, Reyes met British snooker ace Davis, the conqueror of World Pool champion Mika Immonen, in the finals.
Reyes had lost his final Group 2 match to Immonen but made no mistake against Davis, winning 9-5. Reyes raced to a 4-1 lead but Davis, using a clinical attack and defensive guile, evened the score at 5-5 before a standing-room only crowd at the University of Warsaw Arena.
But Reyes was not to be denied. He soon began to get the feel of the table and, with some spectacular shots, ran out the next four racks while Davis watched helplessly.
In a post-match interview Reyes, was his usual modest self, saying: "I was lucky tonight because Steve made a couple of mistakes and left the balls out for me. I always like to play him because he is such a good player. I am delighted to have won this tournament in front of such a great crowd."
Davis, who beat Reyes in last year's World Pool Championship in Cardiff, said: "This time it was Efren's turn, he always had a little too much for me and although I got close to him, I couldn't quite bridge the gap and create a lead."
Undoubtedly the best match of the tournament was the epic semis encounter between Reyes and Bustamante. Reyes, smarting from his defeat by Immonen that prevented a possible all-Filipino final, raced to a 5-1 lead. Bustamante, relying on his awesome break, battled back ferociously to put together five racks in a row to grab the lead at 6-5. However, with the break in his favor, Bustamante uncharacteristically missed the 4-ball.
Reyes pounced on the opening to clinch the rack and then finished the match in style. Bustamante won $7,500 for reaching the semis.
Reyes was initially not in the roster of participants but businessman-sportsman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat who, together with elder brother Jose Puyat, has sponsored Reyes and other top Filipino players through the years, requested organizers to invite Reyes in addition to Francisco "Django" Bustamante to match the two British players invited, Steve Davis and last year's World Pool League champion, Steve Knight.
Fresh from his record-breaking $160,000 triumph in the Tokyo 9-Ball International tournament last week, Reyes dropped only one match on his way to winning the title this time.
After an epic encounter with Bustamante in the semifinals which he won 7-6, Reyes met British snooker ace Davis, the conqueror of World Pool champion Mika Immonen, in the finals.
Reyes had lost his final Group 2 match to Immonen but made no mistake against Davis, winning 9-5. Reyes raced to a 4-1 lead but Davis, using a clinical attack and defensive guile, evened the score at 5-5 before a standing-room only crowd at the University of Warsaw Arena.
But Reyes was not to be denied. He soon began to get the feel of the table and, with some spectacular shots, ran out the next four racks while Davis watched helplessly.
In a post-match interview Reyes, was his usual modest self, saying: "I was lucky tonight because Steve made a couple of mistakes and left the balls out for me. I always like to play him because he is such a good player. I am delighted to have won this tournament in front of such a great crowd."
Davis, who beat Reyes in last year's World Pool Championship in Cardiff, said: "This time it was Efren's turn, he always had a little too much for me and although I got close to him, I couldn't quite bridge the gap and create a lead."
Undoubtedly the best match of the tournament was the epic semis encounter between Reyes and Bustamante. Reyes, smarting from his defeat by Immonen that prevented a possible all-Filipino final, raced to a 5-1 lead. Bustamante, relying on his awesome break, battled back ferociously to put together five racks in a row to grab the lead at 6-5. However, with the break in his favor, Bustamante uncharacteristically missed the 4-ball.
Reyes pounced on the opening to clinch the rack and then finished the match in style. Bustamante won $7,500 for reaching the semis.
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