Coming into the Challengers Stage of the BLAST.tv Paris Major, few would have expected Apeks to end the first day in the 2-0 bracket.
With a difficult first game against Liquid, no one would have blamed Apeks for falling against one of the best teams in the world, but after their victory, STYKO was quick to say that “letting Ancient through against us was a mistake for them.”
Photo: Michal Konkol“Whatever they prepared we countered really well, we didn't feel any pressure. Whatever they did, we'd faced in scrims in Europe like three months ago. We felt really confident, we had solutions, obviously we lost some stupid rounds and they even changed some positions to try and mindfuck us, but we discovered pretty early that they had swapped stuff. It was obvious too from YEKINDAR's HLTV interview that they would do that, so we were ready for it. I'm glad that it ended this way, it was a close game but we had it under control.” STYKO told BLAST.tv
Crushing it 16-0
Apeks next opponents were to be Grayhound, a team who had completed a massive comeback against FORZE earlier on in the day.
Now the favourite to win, Apeks did so in an emphatic fashion, securing only the third 16-0 in Major history and the first by a team not named Astralis.
After the game, we caught up with jL, the player who consistently shut Grayhound down as he amassed a 23-4 statline.
Photo: Michal KonkolThat was the third 16-0 at a Major, how do you feel about that?
jL: "It's quite sad that it was Grayhound because I feel for the boys. They probably came in with no expectations but I want to see them do well because they're the kind of underdog team that no one appreciates and people overlook them. The comeback against FORZE from 14-6 to 16-14 was really applaudable and I thought they would put up a better fight. I'm not trying to diss them but it was a 16-0 and we didn't feel much resistance, but I like the guys and they're a fun group of people."
People would also call your team underdogs too, are you surprised by how well the first day has gone for you?
jL: "No, not really. We thought we would do well and personally,I foresaw that we would go 2-0 because our first game was against Liquid, and I'm not a big Liquid fan, I don't believe in them. Sorry to all their fans who read this, but I just don't think they have the roster to go big. I'm not saying we're the big team they should play against, but I thought we dismantled Liquid quite well. For the second game, I thought it would be against FORZE. We practiced against them a few times, and of course they're a solid team, but when we play against them and other teams from their region we always get the upper hand. I thought we would get 2-0 regardless and we did, so I'm happy."
jL: "You had a monster performance, could you take us through it?
jL: "To be honest, I didn't even realise I was having a nuts game. I had a pretty good pistol round and I didn't even realise, I thought I only killed one. When you're in heavy action you don't check the kill feed or the scoreboard, so I shot a bullet and I know I killed B Aps, they then came out B Short and I was shooting at them and they were insta-dying. I thought it was my teammates killing them but it turned out it was me and I got three kills [laughs] I look again and it's a 1v2 for STYKO and he clutched the round. It was a crazy game. I really didn't think that I did much, but it felt like I was unstoppable, I could do anything and get away with it."
Apeks is now only one win away from making it to the Legends Stage.