Over the past weekend, the Rumble Stage at MSI 2022 took place with many surprising results. Besides G2 Esports unexpectedly losing to PSG Talon, T1 also left fans feeling quite anxious. Since the Rumble Stage began, Faker and his teammates have not really achieved good results. In particular, they lost both matches against G2 and Royal Never Give Up – two direct competitors for the MSI championship this season.
Additionally, in the match against PSG on May 22 (Vietnam time), T1’s performance was not particularly convincing. If it weren’t for Oner’s stable form and Faker’s outstanding performances, as well as PSG’s poor gameplay, T1 could have faced defeat against the representatives from the PCS region. This has left T1 fans extremely anxious, especially regarding the players’ performance.
However, the veteran and team captain, Faker, seemed quite optimistic even after losing to G2 and RNG, as well as only recently securing wins against weaker opponents. In a post-match interview after the third day of the Rumble Stage, Faker expressed his optimism: “All the matches so far have been BO1, and anyone can lose those BO1 matches. The whole team has learned a lot from such losses. We still maintain a very positive attitude about the situation. To put it politely, I personally don’t care much about the losses in the Rumble Stage.”
It can be said that Faker has mentally prepared for the losses in the recent Rumble Stage. As one of the oldest players participating in this MSI, he surely understands the MSI tournament better than anyone else – a place that has witnessed many ups and downs in Faker’s career. Notably, it was at MSI 2019 where Faker lost in the semifinals to G2. Therefore, these BO1 losses, as Faker mentioned, are opportunities for him and the team to gain experience and prepare for the more important stages ahead.