For their first international competition of the year,
entered the tournament with a sense of calm. Although they fell short of qualifying for MSI,
upset by an impressive Team WE and then beaten by Bilibili Gaming to finish fourth in LPL Split 2, they opened this event by taking down
and
1-0 in both matches.
Aware that it was only two games, star jungler Lee “
” Seung-yong reflected on the atmosphere around the team, their preparation during the long break, his Lee Sin pick, and the possibility of a rematch with
and
, who had beaten them internationally last year.
How would you assess the team's performance in today's win over G2?
Lee "Tarzan" Seung-yong: "Today was a Bo1, same as yesterday, and Bo1s come with a lot of variance. But we prepared well, and that's how we were able to win today. I think both the teamwork with my teammates and the draft were pretty good.
Do you think that not having accumulated fatigue during MSI gives you an advantage?
Tarzan: We didn't go to MSI, but we still prepared hard the whole time. That said, since we didn't actually get to play at MSI, I thought we might be a little behind in terms of draft understanding and overall game understanding. So we were really careful about that part while preparing.
Some people say that the LPL is a one-team region this year, with BLG leading the way. What do you think, especially after defeating an LCK team and the LEC's first seed?
Tarzan: Honestly, BLG is just very strong in the LPL this year. And yes, we beat an LCK team and an LEC team, but those were Bo1 wins, and Bo1s have a lot of variance. So I think it's still a bit early to make any real judgment.
Last year AL lost to T1 at MSI and to Gen.G in the EWC final. What would a rematch mean this time?
Tarzan: Last year we lost to T1 at MSI, and at EWC we lost to Gen.G. This year we're working even harder, so if we end up meeting them again, I hope we can put on a good match.
How does this year's AL compare to last year's roster in terms of strength?
Tarzan: Compared to last year, it's honestly hard to say. The game has been patched so much that drafts and game understanding have shifted quite a bit, so I think it's difficult to compare.
Is there a jungler at EWC you consider the most underrated?
Tarzan: I think every player and every team that came to EWC is genuinely good, so I don't think there's any one player who's the most underrated.
Lee Sin has been everywhere in the current meta. Do you expect that to continue?
Tarzan: A lot of teams are picking Lee Sin in the current meta. Among bruiser AD jungle champions, Lee Sin really is a great champion, so I think it'll keep showing up going forward too."
