As we know, T1 defeated LNG Esports in the recent Quarterfinals, marking the third “China-Korea” showdown of the round. After the Quarterfinals, all LCK representatives were eliminated, except for T1. Faker and his teammates are on a very challenging journey ahead, with a maximum of two more LPL representatives they need to overcome. Notably, in the Semifinals, T1 will once again face JD Gaming. However, this time they are in a strong position as Ruler is the AD Carry for JDG and is currently in great form.
However, according to some netizens, JDG’s situation after T1 defeated LNG inadvertently mirrors a “Golden Road” leading to the first “Grand Slam of titles” in League of Legends history. Specifically, a comment was made: “The last time a team walked the ‘Golden Road,’ they defeated a team whose name included SKT (SKT T1 – the former name of T1) after that SKT team had defeated the third seed from their region in the Quarterfinals. This time, will JDG achieve glory or will T1 reclaim what they missed out on in the last Worlds?”
For those who may not realize, the team being referenced is G2 Esports. In the LEC, there is no ASIAD, but G2 was a team that came very close to achieving the “Grand Slam of titles” in 2019. At that time, they were the national champions and won MSI. Meanwhile, SKT T1 defeated Splyce – the third seed of the LEC that year. In the Semifinals, G2 defeated SKT T1 with a score of 3-1 but then lost to FunPlus Phoenix 0-3 in the finals. G2’s loss was also the last time SKT T1 was seen on the international stage. After that season, this team officially changed its name to T1.
JDG’s journey this time is somewhat different, as they are rated significantly higher than T1 compared to G2 back then. Furthermore, according to many assessments, as long as they can overcome the LCK representative, JDG is almost guaranteed to secure the “Grand Slam of titles.” However, it is clear that T1 is not an easy opponent, and the “LPL Slayer” trait will make JDG truly cautious.