VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo: interview after the victory over Leviatán
After winning over Leviatán in the quarterfinals of the Omega Group VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo NAVI VALORANT players answered questions about the match and preparations for the semifinals of the tournament at the post-match press conference. We have collected the most interesting questions from Zyppan's post-match interview and players' press conference.
Post match interview with Zyppan
I want to start by asking you specifically about your performance. Your first kills to first death ratio is just obscene. I think the last time I checked it was 16-4. That’s pretty good for not being a duelist.
Zyppan: Agreed. It’s pretty good for not being a duelist. I think that everyone on a team is super aggressive. Right now we are flooded with confidence, we are not scared to take any duels. Everyone on a team is also getting a lot of entries. We are confident right now.
I want to ask you about your strategy regarding your map pool. You guys played 6 out of 7 maps if I’m not mistaken. It seems like this is a far more broad approach when it comes to a strategy in a tournament. Is it something that you did intentionally and if so - why?
Zyppan: We are confident to play every map. Obviously, coming to this tournament we didn’t have any footage of an enemy team really. So we have decided to go with our strong maps. We were confident to play every map. We were kinda surprised by Leviatán because they picked Ascent against us. It is kinda our best map. Also, we had footage of them. I was kinda surprised, but I guess they didn’t have any other option.
Given what we have seen out of NAVI up until this point, you guys seem like the best team in the tournament. There may be a gap between you guys and the rest of the teams. Maybe LOUD, but either way it feels like you are clicking on a different cylinder you are getting better round after round. What is the magic sauce?
Zyppan: First thing, coming into this year we have kept 4 out of 5 of our players. We still have this chemistry, a good core, and with our assistant coach, ANGE1 can focus more on shooting instead of making up strats and stuff. Everyone on a team has incredible firepower. Anyone can pop off. That is what makes us so strong. Good strats and firepower.
ANGE1’s first contacts. Doesn’t it drive you crazy seeing your IGL being the first one to take the fights? The first one to die? What are your thoughts on that?
Zyppan: Two weeks before coming to Brazil we were bootcamping and ANGE1 was top-fragging every practice. I don’t know what he was doing in the offseason but it is clearly working. It is just incredible to see him 33 years old playing like he is 20.
Post-match press conference
Congratulations on today`s victory. I want to ask ANGE1 about Ascent. It is the second time you guys have played on Ascent against Leviatán and both times it was a really close game. What do you think they do that makes this game such a close matchup?
ANGE1: I think Ascent is their best map. It would be stupid to expect it to be an easy game against any opponent except the weakest. It looks like our Ascent is a bit better. Not much better, but a little. And we expected a close match. We knew that Ascent is going to be a super tough one.
Your next match is going to be against Fnatic or 100 Thieves who are just taking the stage now [Fnatic is the next opponent]. I want to know your expectations of the upcoming game.
Zyppan: I think it is going to be a close game between Fnatic and 100 Thieves, but I hope we are going to play against 100 Thieves. It is boring to play Fnatic. We have already beaten them twice, give us 100 Thieves!
Now that you have reached the top 4, what do you think about the teams in the other bracket - LOUD and DRX?
ANGE1: I think that LOUD and DRX are in really good shape. I feel like DRX is a bit stronger but LOUD has crowd support and comps that people are not used to playing against. So it is going to be a really good fight and I’m looking forward to it. I hope to meet one of them in the final. Best of 5 is a great way to test our own map pool and to play against agents like Harbor - LOUD has really good comps. I like it.
Now that you guys will be playing a best-of-5 match in the semifinals, how does it affect your preparation and your approach to the match?
d00mbr0s: We were preparing for the best-of-5 matches from the start and we played all 7 maps so it should not be a problem.
ANGE1: Why did you tell them we play Haven?
d00mbr0s: Ugh, I’m just being honest, you know… But honestly, I think it fits us a little bit better. One of my goals here is to play as many maps as possible and gain experience. So playing more maps is just good.
Zyppan, one of the players - stellar from 100 Thieves, called you one of the best players, or one of the players to watch out for at this tournament. Is there anything you can say about that?
Zyppan: Thank you, I appreciate that.
Questions for NAVI VALORANT players start at 20:50.
Recall that the day before yesterday was the last day of the group stage at the VCT 2023: LOCK//IN São Paulo. LOUD and DRX advanced from the Alpha group to the main stage of the tournament, and NAVI and Fnatic from the Omega group. The final stage of the tournament will be held from March 3rd to 4th. Teams are competing for the championship title and a $500,000 prize pool.
