The countdown begins for Team Asia vs Team Europe, October 15-18.
The stage is officially set for the inaugural Reyes Cup, launched on Monday with a pre-tournament press conference at the spectacular Ninoy Aquino National Stadium in Manila, where the hotly anticipated tournament will take place from October 15-18.
This landmark event will see Asia’s finest players face off against Europe’s best in an exciting new fixture on the World Nineball Tour, showcased across the globe through local broadcaster Cignal TV, as well as Sky Sports across the UK.
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The press conference, held at the spectacular Reyes Cup venue, the Ninoy Aquino National Stadium, offered fans and media insight into the excitement surrounding the tournament. The panel included the recently crowned Hanoi Open champion Johann Chua, who was joined by his Team Asia captain, the legendary Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes.
Johann Chua, fresh off his victory at the Mansion Sports Hanoi Open, expressed his excitement for the event: “I think playing in Manila is one of my dreams for this kind of event. I’m really excited about it and I don’t think about the pressure at all. I’m looking forward to it and will just try and enjoy as much of it as possible”
Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes added: “Team Europe are winners and champions. But our players have also won big events, they are well trained and in form. They stand a good chance against team Europe, I’m sure of it.”
Team Asia’s duo faced off with Team Europe’s Jayson Shaw and captain Karl Boyes, alongside Mr Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, Founder and Owner of Puyat Sports, and Emily Frazer, CEO of Matchroom Multi Sport.
©Taka Wu/Matchroom Multi Sport
Jayson Shaw delivered the first bit of fighting talk of the tournament, downplaying any impact of Team Asia’s recent success: “I don’t think Team Asia will have more momentum than us. We had a great run in Hanoi ourselves last week. When the fans are here and it’s a race to five, the pressure is on. You can play as good as you want and when you step out into that arena, forget about it.”
Karl Boyes, captain of Team Europe, added: “Europe has been lucky enough to have played in the Mosconi Cup for many years. Team Asia has never had that experience, and trust me, when you walk out there it is an out-of-body experience. What Johann Chua achieved last night will help because that is a taste of what is to come.”
Kicking off the press conference, Emily Frazer unveiled the stunning new Reyes Cup trophy, setting the stage for what promises to be a thrilling competition between Team Asia and Team Europe.
Emily Frazer spoke about the event’s significance and shared her enthusiasm for this historic moment, saying: “It feels wonderful to step off the plane and come straight into the venue to see how phenomenal it looks here. We’ve had a great week in Hanoi but we’re ready for an incredible week at the Reyes Cup. It’s going to be special tomorrow night.”
Mr Aristeo “Putch” Puyat reflected on the importance of this event for the Philippines and the sport itself, stating: “It’s a great honour to be associated with Matchroom for this event. Hanoi last night was Johann’s time to shine, as has everyone who is playing in the Reyes Cup this week. I hope everyone watching and taking part has a fantastic week in Manila.”
The Ninoy Aquino National Stadium is set to host four days of intense action from October 15-18, with a total of 21 matches, including singles and doubles. Each match will be a race to five, and the first team to reach 11 points will claim victory in Manila. Fans can expect to witness some of the finest talent in the sport.
The event schedule is as follows (local time):
- Tuesday, 15th October: 7:30pm – 00:00am
- Wednesday, 16th October: 7:30pm – 00:00am
- Thursday, 17th October: 7:30pm – 00:00am
- Friday, 18th October: 7:30pm – 00:00am