There were doubts last week that Lee, known the world over as "The Black Widow" because of her flair for gothic all-black leather and lace attire and her deadly skills at the table, would make the trip because of the current international situation. However, reassurance from LG Collins, the sponsor of the event, convinced her to visit Manila for the unique one-on-one, race to 13.
Reyes, perhaps the greatest pool player of all-time and acknow-ledged as "The Magician" because of his incredible shot-making, said he isn’t taking Jeanette Lee lightly and has been practising daily for the challenge.
Reyes said Lee has, in the past, beaten some Filipino pool players and when she is on a roll can clean up the table. She can run rack after rack without a hint of a smile and is regarded as "cold and deadly" by her opponents.
Reyes conceded that he could be "distracted" by the alluring Lee and would have to keep his "concentration on the game to win." He said Jeanette Lee would have a chance to beat him in a short race to five, but in a race to thirteen he has the advantage.
Reyes promised it would be "an exciting and interesting duel" but he doesn’t plan to be humiliated by losing to a woman in the LG Flatron Challenge with total prize money of $15,000.
In a preliminary to the Reyes-Lee challenge, four of the country’s most promising pool players will compete in a knockout battle of "The Rising Stars" for total prize money of P100,000.
The Las Vegas-style setting of Casino Filipino has won praise from world-renowned pool players who competed in the past including five-time world champion Earl Strickland, European champion Ralf Souquet and US Open champion Johnny Archer.