Interview with electronic HLTV.org

CS2 / News / 16 January 2021 — 20:30

Electronic is in the top 5!

Denis "electronic" Sharipov was . Here we present you the Natus Vincere player interview by the HLTV journalists.

— You started competing at tournaments at a very young age. Looking back, how do you think it shaped your career?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I think it had an impact on my composure during matches.

— What was the most important moment in your career before joining NAVI. Why?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

It was the victory at Dreamhack, as it was my first ever victory in the international scene. Sure, the tournament wasn't the largest, but nonetheless it was there that I realised that I can worthily compete with big players.

— NAVI brought on Perfecto at the beginning of the year. What was it like adjusting to a new teammate?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I think most of us were acquainted with Ilya (Perfecto) before he joined, so the process of adaptation was very easy for the whole team. We tuned onto the same wavelength pretty fast.

— Natus Vincere had a really good start of the year with a second place finish at ICE Challenge and a victory at IEM Katowice. Why were you so strong then?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I think that at the time we had enough confidence to achieve the highest results.

— What happened at ESL One: Road to Rio CIS? You were the clear favorites and went out in 7-8th place.

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

After transferring to online play, I started feeling that some players lost the required confidence that they previously demonstrated on LAN. We made a lot of mistakes and we didn't listen to each other during matches.

— You had a great showing at DreamHack Masters Spring 2020, individually, accruing a 1.27 rating. Why were you so good there?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I always strive to train a lot, and this, specifically, is the key to success for any player.

— NAVI lost to Complexity and NiP at ESL One Cologne, going out in 9-12th place. Why was there a dip in form from the team there?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

If we're honest, it was one of our worst results during the online period. After our loss we had a conversation where we discussed our next steps. We extracted a good lesson from it and we continued working.

— You had second place finishes at ESL Pro League Season 12 and IEM Beijing-Haidian. What stopped the team from going all the way and winning a title in the second half of the year?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

Honestly, it's difficult to answer this question. Everything went exceptionally well during our matches, up until a certain point. After, something happened that I can't really explain, it was as if it was a different NAVI.

— It seemed like NAVI couldn’t get the best of Astralis in the important matches at the end of the year. Why did you struggle against them?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I have to give it to the Danes, they always demonstrate great form, and those matches were no exception.

— NAVI still managed consistent deep runs at events. What was the key to that consistency?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

A key part to constant training is team discussions. We wanted to get back to the form we showed on LAN, and we took steps to achieve this.

— B1T started playing with you guys at the end of the year. What was playing with a substitute like? What effect did that have on the team?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I think that Valera (B1T) is a great player, but any substitution requires restructuring. Currently, we're trying to find our optimal game on Inferno, and I think we'll be able to achieve it soon.

— You were very consistent individually throughout the year. What is it that allows you to perform well on such a regular basis?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

As I've mentioned earlier, I try to train as much as I can and analyse my gameplay. I want the team to gain maximum impact from me.

— You’re a player that puts out a lot of damage with high ADR and impact. What is it about your playstyle that makes you so effective in that sense?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I often try to find a gap for my team, be it an entry-frag or control of a zone on the map.

— What was your best memory of 2020? Why?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

Of course it was Katowice, even though there weren't any viewers. Having said that, the atmosphere on LAN would've been unreal.

— What was your lowest moment of 2020? Why?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I would say Cologne. We bootcamped beforehand, we trained a lot, and we really wanted to win, but we didn't even manage to exit the group stage in the end.

— NAVI was named the second best team of the year by HLTV. Do you think that’s accurate?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I think we had a pretty good year, and, yes, I think the ranking is accurate

— Do you have any goals for 2021?

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

I want our team to become number one and win as many big tournaments as possible.

— Bold prediction. Name at least one up-and-coming player who you think has the potential to reach a top level in the next few years.

Denis “electronic” Sharipov

I I

B1t. He's a player with a lot of potential and if he continues working as he has, he will definitely be part of this list in the future.