DINH Hai Ngo of Vietnam was all business when he faced Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes of the Philippines in the semifinals of the 30th Southeast Asian Games one-cushion carom event at the Manila Hotel Tent.
After wrapping up a lopsided victory, though, Dinh turned into a fan as he asked for a photo with the player he beat on his way to the gold-medal match.
Reyes obliged.
“I admire him a lot because he is a legend,” Dinh, an Asian champion, told reporters with the help of a Vietnamese TV reporter that served as an interpreter.
Dinh said it was the very first time he faced Reyes ever in his billiards career, which he said caused him to have jitters before the match.
But the Vietnamese said he got comfortable as the match went on when it became apparent that Reyes was struggling with his shots.
“I felt a little bit nervous in the beginning of the match. When I entered the match, I felt relaxed because I saw Efren Reyes not playing his normal game,” said Dinh.
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