Despite not finishing first in their group,
Twisted Minds have struck at the heart of the Paris Major as they continue the rise of the MENA region. After a 4ā1 victory over FUT Esports in the lower bracket, the Saudi Arabian organization advances to face FURIA in the second round of the lower bracket in less than 24 hours.
Ahead of this next matchup,
Evan āM0nkey M00nā Rogez, the French star of the team and former world champion, sat down with
Sheep Esports to discuss Twisted Mindsā latest result and his experience in Paris so far. He also reflects on the level of the event and his region, before offering a sneak peek at what to expect for the rest of the tournament.
The Michelin Question: What is your first reaction after this performance against FUT?
Evan āM0nkey M00nā Rogez: āIām extremely happy. Itās the first time Iāve won in front of my home crowd, even though I donāt play in a French-speaking organization. Iām also very satisfied with the teamās performance, as well as my individual level today.
FUT managed to challenge Karmine Corp and Vitality in groups. What level were you expecting from them today?
M0nkey M00n: Their performance was within my expectations. I also think Vitality and KC kind of underperformed in their matches against FUT. We play them a lot in scrims, so I donāt think they are that strong of a team. I played my own game, without putting pressure on myself because they had managed to challenge KC and Vitality. And in the end, it went really well.
What are you expecting from the next match against FURIA, who just beat world champions NRG?
M0nkey M00n: Itās a bit like today. Even though they beat the world champions, it doesnāt mean they are extremely dangerous or unbeatable. Weāll play our own style. Then weāll see if it works or not. If we lose a game or two, weāll try to adjust things as usual. In any case, Iām approaching the match calmly. Iāll try to play my game like I did today, because I felt pretty good. But we wonāt underestimate them.
Do you think that match could be harder than it looks on paper?
M0nkey M00n: Yes, like today. Itās exactly the same kind of situation. But weāll try to do the same as today.
You said on Twitter that not qualifying wasnāt an option at home. Do you feel more relieved since qualifying?
M0nkey M00n: Yes, Iām playing a bit more freely now. Especially after qualifyingāonce I knew it was done, I was able to release the pressure knowing I would play in front of my home crowd. Now I feel really good in my gameplay. The qualification did me a lot of good in that regard.
What aspects of your game do you feel are more free now?
M0nkey M00n: I think mainly mechanically. Defensively too, I feel very good. Overall, those are the aspects Iāve improved, and theyāre working really well right now.
You said a few days ago that the team wasnāt at its peak yet and lacked confidence. Where are you at now after the group stage?
M0nkey M00n: The match against NiP gave us a bit of a boost, because they were a strong team. Before that match, we were a bit stressed, because if we messed up, we couldnāt play for first place in the group anymore. Even though we didnāt get it in the end, we were still in the running at that moment.
But yes, there was a trigger, and it put us in a good spot for what followed. Like today, where we played very wellāitās also thanks to that NiP match that really boosted our confidence. Itās getting better and better. I hope it continues like this at least until Sunday.
On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate your level and the teamās today?
M0nkey M00n: Individually, Iād give myself a 7.5. For the team, 8.5. I give one point more because collectively, we played really well.
More generally, what do you think of the level of this Major so far?
M0nkey M00n: Itās even stronger than the Boston Major. Rocket League had issues for a few months, which made it difficult for players to really perform. Now I feel like the level is coming back very strong, especially individually across many players.
So naturally, teams are also returning to their levelālike KC, who are much stronger than in Boston, M8 who are still very strong, and many other teams. Even North American teams: everyone is getting back to their normal level.
Recent updates have improved online play. Has that changed anything for you, considering you play remotely with Hisham "Nwpo" Alqadi and Mohammed Khalid "trk511" Alotaibi?
M0nkey M00n: Yes, it changed a lot. Now I can play the game normally againāIām enjoying playing Rocket League again. It was really a blocker for everyone, it was very demotivating. Because of that, the time we invested into the game wasnāt consistent due to all the issues. Now everything is fixed, so everything is fine for the moment.
Some observers say the MENA region is slightly weaker this year. Whatās your view on that?
M0nkey M00n: Theyāre not wrong. But in a way, itās because there used to be only Falcons. Now there are Falcons, Twisted Minds, and even R8 who qualified for Paris. So I think the peak level is slightly lower, but there are more consistent teams that can compete at this levelāeven if R8 lost all their matches. In any case, MENA is improving; itās getting better and better.
How was your experience with the French crowd today, especially compared to the Lyon LAN?
M0nkey M00n: For me it was perfect, because as I said, they were on my sideāthey supported me because Iām French. On top of that, we were playing against an American team, so they didnāt really have a reason to support the other side. Itās not the same for my teammates though. Nwpo wasnāt really supported, but heās used to it now.
I was really happy. It means a lot to have a crowd behind me because itās very rare. Especially since itās only the second LAN in France. So Iām super happy, and I hope they keep doing that.
What are you expecting for tomorrow for your matchup against FURIA?
M0nkey M00n: Tomorrow should be fine. But if we face Gentle Mates or KC later on, then it wonāt be easy. Still, Iāve always played with the crowd against me, so Iām used to it.
Does the relocation of the Esports World Cup from Saudi Arabia to France change anything for you, as a French player in a Saudi organization?
M0nkey M00n: Honestly, it doesnāt change much for me. Whether itās in Paris or Riyadh, it doesnāt really matter. I prefer it in Paris anyway. I donāt know if Iāll be cheered for or not since itās a Saudi organization running it, but for me it really doesnāt change much.
You became the first player after Boston to reach $1 million in career prize money. What do you do with that kind of money at 23?
M0nkey M00n: You save it, you try to invest as much as possible, and then life goes on.
We heard you started building a house, or maybe even finished it?
M0nkey M00n: I have my house. Iām currently building a garage.
What do you think about RC Lens qualifying for the Champions League?
M0nkey M00n: Iām extremely happy and glad. Iām really happy. They were really good this season.ā
