Recently, T1 concluded their showmatch in Berlin, Germany. Of course, this was primarily a “fun” event, and the players of T1 had no reason to “try hard.” However, as the reigning champions of the 2023 World Championship and with a professional spirit always kept at the highest level, the T1 stars still pushed themselves to compete until the very last minute of their match against G2 Esports in this showmatch.
However, it is clear that the image of the T1 players truly tugs at the heartstrings of many viewers. First, even before the matches began, Faker’s continuous arm rotations caught the audience’s attention. Anyone who knows Faker is aware that he had a period of injury during the 2023 Summer Split of the LCK. When he had to take a break, T1 immediately faced significant difficulties. They lost even to weak opponents like DRX and OKSavingsBank Brion, leading to moments where fans doubted T1’s chances of qualifying for the 2023 World Championship.
In the recent showmatch, the T1 players were genuinely exhausted. Even while preparing for the match, Keria, Zeus, and even Faker have been caught dozing off multiple times. The lethargy of the T1 players likely stems from jetlag after a long journey from Korea to Germany. Not to mention, they were out of sync with the timezone and had to compete continuously from evening until early morning the next day (Vietnam time). The tired state of the T1 players also diminished the entertaining aspect of the showmatch significantly.
Viewers can’t help but feel sympathy for the T1 players. However, according to the team’s COO Josh, T1 will soon be busier with multiple events, culminating in T1 Con at the end of 2024. Being the reigning champions probably forces the players to “run the circuit” continuously. After that, they will have to train intensively to prepare for the LCK Spring 2024, which begins in early January.
Currently, the players have only just completed the first event in their “run the circuit” series. However, with what is happening, fans have the right to worry as their players seem to be exhausted from the hectic schedule.