T1 Stardust: “Other than the fact that the solo queue ping is high, I don’t think it’s appropriate [for NA] blame their faults on their environment.

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On October 31, the first semi-final match of the 2021 Worlds took place between two teams considered the tournament favorites, DWG KIA and T1. After a full five-game streak, DWG KIA beat T1 3-2 and faced the winner of Gen.G against EDG in the grand final. Despite tonight’s loss, it was a series that would undoubtedly become one of the greatest in the history of the World Cup.

After the series, T1 joined media around the world for a post-match press conference.

Photo via Riot Games / Getty Images

To Stardust: What do you think is the reason for the series losing tonight?

Stardust: Hmm… I think we were just missing that 1% for this series, which was the difference between winning and losing.

To Keria: Can you tell us how prepared Zilean’s choice was? Plus, you finished in the top 8 last year and in the top 4 this year. What can you tell us about your career at the World Cup this year?

Keria: Once the fork was set, I knew we were definitely going to face DWG KIA, so I started practicing Zilean right away. I was trampled on last year by them [laughter], but I think I caught up to them well this year.

To Faker: You were so close to beating DWG KIA, but unfortunately you failed. How do you feel?

Faker: I knew they weren’t going to be easy opponents, but my team played better than I expected, which is why we were so close to beating them. I think losing my focus a bit in the middle of the series is why we lost. I’m not happy with tonight’s results, but I hope things will be better next time around.

To One: What is the most important thing that you take away from your first Worlds?

Oner: I learned a lot, but I think the most important thing has to be the whole experience.

To Oner: You played phenomenally tonight against arguably the best jungler in the world, Canyon. What can you tell us about the game and how satisfied are you with your performance tonight?

Oner: I think he’s been the best player for a long time, and I also think he played a lot better tonight as well. I was really nervous in Game 1 so I don’t think I played my best; As of Game 2, however, I lost my nerves and am happy that I was able to play the way I wanted. Overall, I am quite satisfied.

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To Faker: Every time you come back to the Worlds stage, you put in a great performance. What are the things that motivate you to keep going?

Faker: The most important thing is to always think about how I can do better. Also, T1 provides me with great teammates, coaching staff and overall great support which is why I am able to do so well.

To Gumayusi: How do you think about your performance in this series? How do you think you grew up from today?

Gumayusi: I think I was only able to play 60% today. It’s really bad, but I think I’ve grown a lot since Spring Split.

To Gumayusi: What is the biggest lesson you learned from this year’s Worlds? What can you tell us about your goals and plans for the future?

Gumayusi: The most important thing was all the experience I got from playing well with my team in this tournament. Next year I want to beat DWG KIA in one of the important games of the season and continue to improve myself.

To Faker: Something you would like to tell kkOma, your former trainer?

Faker: I continued to lose to him for most of this year, so I really wanted to win tonight. It sucks I can’t, so I want to beat him next time. Recently, because we were both busy for the past few years, I couldn’t contact him frequently. However, I only wish him the best and intend to congratulate him warmly if he wins his 4th world title. To be honest, I’m not too interested in the finals so it doesn’t matter which team wins.

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To the coaching staff: A lot of western players and coaches have recently made it very clear how structurally unfair this is for western teams. Does the structure need to change or do Western teams need to improve to beat LCK teams at Worlds?

Stardust: I know because I was actually in NA before; Other than the high solo queue ping, I don’t think it’s appropriate to blame their shortcomings on their environment. If a team like G2, a team that has been performing well for a long time, starts to blame their environment for their recent shortcomings, that makes sense. Otherwise, I think the right thing to do is find the flaws in themselves.

Moment: Personally, getting better as a team has nothing to do with how other teams play, as long as you start to correct mistakes in your own gameplay.

To Faker: Now that the season is over, what are your plans for the rest of the year?

Faker: I recently started exercising whenever I can, so I’ll be focusing on my fitness for next year’s adventure.

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To Keria: Behind Faker you have the most international experience on the list. How was the year with such a young team?

Keria: There’s a lot to learn from Faker, both inside and outside of the game, so I’ve tried to learn as much from him as possible. We worked very hard in Iceland to prepare for our matches, so I learned a lot while playing.

To Stardust: How was the preparation process with such a young team, especially on such a huge stage? Have your past experiences helped ease the preparation process in any way?

Stardust: The common misconception is that things will be more difficult because the players are young and inexperienced, but it’s actually the opposite. Young players have that courage that comes from being rookies, so when it comes to trying new ideas for the first time, they were able to do it with more force. Competitors all think the same way; they compete to win one tournament after another.

Photo via Riot Games / Getty Images

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