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Paper Rex steps closer to a Grand Final spot at the VCT 2022 Masters: Reykjavik after asserting a dominant 2-0 victory over G2 Esports. As a result, PRX enters the tournament's top 4, just three wins away from their first ever VCT Masters title.
As APAC's top representative for the Stage 1 Masters, PRX initiated their Masters run in the tournament's playoffs. While an early defeat pushed them to the lower bracket, a victory over NA's number 1 seed, The Guard, guaranteed their survival in the tournament.
Upon meeting G2 Esports in the tournament's Lower Round 2 matchup, Paper Rex managed to claim victory in a similar fashion. Both teams had their first outing in Split, where PRX overturned a 3-9 half to close out with a 13-10 scoreline. Paper Rex had a smoother victory on Bind as they walked off with a 13-7 map win.
d4v41 comments on Paper Rex's victory against G2 Esports at VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters: Reykjavik Lower Round 2
While in conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Adarsh J. Kumar, Paper Rex's Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee talked about his experience at the VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters: Reykjavik, detailing their efforts at defeating some of the best Valorant teams in the world.
Q: PRX managed to eliminate the highest seeded EMEA team at the VCT 2022 Masters: Reykjavik by claiming consecutive maps. What do you think led to your team's success against G2 Esports?
d4v41: Firstly, I would say everyone played great in their own role. I think everyone was popping off, not just in terms of aim, but utility-wise as well.
Q: While a tough matchup was expected, PRX had a surprisingly one-sided victory over G2 Esports. Do you think G2 underestimated your team or were they just not prepared enough?
d4v41: I'm pretty sure they prepared a few things, especially for Bind since they probably knew that we would pick Yoru on that map. I think they've been preparing to counter out Agents, but it doesn't really matter to us. We don't really think about countering them.
We just made our plays in-sync, utility-wise, we just planned to play our game. We didn't think too much before going into the game. I think overall, they played a great series against us. We were expecting a close match. Luckily, we won 2-0. But overall I think they played great.
Q: The matchup against G2 was PRX's first VCT encounter against an EU team. What aspects of their playstyle differ from that of teams from SEA?
d4v41: I think when it comes to playstyle, Europeans tend to play slower-paced games, similar to DRX. This may be the first time we've played an EU team in tournaments, but when we just came here, we played against European teams like Gambit and FPX.
We play a lot of EU teams so we're getting used to their playstyle. Even in the previous tournament in Berlin (VCT 2021 Stage 3 Masters), we played against a lot of European teams so we technically adapted to their playstyle.
They just play a slower game by holding angles and crossfires. Their utility usage is very good as well. In SEA, everyone just runs around like us and takes duels.
Q: On the first map, Split, G2 had an early 9-3 lead in their defensive half. In your opinion, how did PRX succeed in overturning the scoreline to end up winning the map?
d4v41: We didn't start pretty much the way we usually do. It was a slow start for us. Going into the game, we focused more on our mindset. Even though we were down 9-3 in the first half, everyone knows that Split is a defensive sided map.
So we just kept ourselves calm and composed, saying, "Let's just focus on the game and try to win the pistol round."
We don't like to think about the score. We just focused on winning the pistol round and then round-by-round since we knew it was a defender-sided map. We got the momentum from there and in the end, it worked.
Q: PRX's young attacking duo of f0rsakeN and Jinggg have consistently put up great numbers for PRX and have been integral to the team's success at the VCT Stage 1 Masters so far. How good are they when compared to Duelists from the various other regions in Valorant?
d4v41: When it comes to f0rsakeN and Jinggg, I personally know for sure that their aim is world-class. If they're able to perform the way they currently do, I would say they can easily out-aim any opponents. I know for a fact that they're really good individually.
Q: Paper Rex will face Zeta Division in the VCT Masters: Reykjavik Lower Round 3 fixture. What are your expectations for the matchup?
d4v41: It's going to be a very close game. They have improved a lot. We used to scrim them a lot back during the APAC Qualifiers or even before that. They've improved a lot, so I think it will be a close game. They've been doing great on LAN as well, so I would say it's going to be a great match for both teams.
Q: LOUD and OpTic Gaming are the only remaining teams in the tournament's upper bracket. If things go right for PRX against Zeta, you will be facing one of them, if not both, in the later stages of the VCT Masters: Reykjavik. What do you think about both teams?
d4v41: When it comes to LOUD and OpTic, I would say that if we do manage to win against Zeta Division and meet one of them in the later stage, our aim really needs to be on-point that day. Both teams, in terms of their aim, are very consistent.
I think we just need to be able to try our best and be consistent, just like how we were today. If we're able to put on a good show just like today, we will do well. But at the end of the day, we have to focus on the Zeta match first before we even think about the other matches.
Q: A top 4 finish at VCT Masters is the most progress PRX has made since the team's formation. Previously at the Masters: Berlin, PRX bid farewell to the tournament after a short 0-2 run. What do you think the team did differently this time around?
d4v41: Before we added Jinggg, we struggled a lot in terms of consistency, especially at the VCT Masters Berlin, which was our first international tournament and LAN event. I think we gained a lot of experience there, especially the four of us, except Jinggg.
When we added Jinggg to the team, I was surprised that he was able to deliver such a great performance despite it being his first event. I think when it comes to this game, we have to consistently be able to stay on top.
Compared to last time, the only difference is we are more consistent now in terms of individual performance, and of course, more experienced.
Q: Paper Rex showcased their caliber through an incredible set of performances here at the VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters: Reykjavik. What can PRX fans from all over the world expect from the team for the remainder of the tournament?
d4v41: We have a lot of new fans and I do hope they keep supporting us. We are just going to play our own game. We are not going to put as much expectations on ourselves because we are still the underdogs.
We're not going to put too much pressure and just play our game. If we win, we win. If we lose, we lose. I think we are just going to focus on ourselves and play our game.
