Meteor ready to face G2 Esports in Masters Shanghai Upper Finals "It's going to be easier for us to face the weaker team"

The first Upper Semifinals of VCT Masters Shanghai pitted two of the strongest and most confident teams in the tournament against each other.

On one side we had 100 Thieves; the VCT Americas Split 1 Champions, who looked dominant against FUT Esports in their opening game.

On the other, we had Gen.G; the new Korean powerhouse who gets stronger with every game, and are currently contesting for the title of 'Best Team of the Year'.

The two teams battled each other, with Gen.G coming out on top as the first team to secure the Mercedes Benz Arena.

Following the game, Strafe Esports sat down with GenG’s Kim “Meteor” Tae-o, the long-standing member of the team, to talk about the team’s journey, the game and his individual prowess.

Exceeding expectations:

“I am really happy with the amount of growth the team has been showing”

Gen.G entered VCT Pacific in 2023 with a strong roster that had a lot of expectations riding on their shoulders.

Despite the strong start, the team struggled and faltered leading to a disappointing conclusion to the year.

During the off-season, they entered a re-building phase, completing the roster with Solo as the head coach, creating a team that no one expected to perform, but exceeded everyone’s expectation as they not only won VCT Pacific Kickoff but placed second at Masters Madrid.

Talking about the Gen.G’s turnaround, Meteor said:

“Last year, we didn't have any great results. We weren't able to compete in international events, so it was very hard to see any growth. There weren't any opportunities or results to measure the amount of growth from.

Coming into this year, we are competing a lot and qualifying for events frequently. We are performing really well and producing great results. I would say I have definitely grown, but I am still human, so I can't grow 100% all the time.

I think I am still on my way to growing, and I am really happy with the amount of growth the team has been showing.”

Talking further about the team’s growth, Meteor added:

“Now, I still sometimes can't believe that I am part of such a strong and great team. Having no one want to pick you at the draw show at an international event shows a lot.

It indicates that other teams admit we are good. It's a lot of acknowledgement from other players.”

A Changed Role:

“I think of myself as a Jett without a dash.”

During the rebuild, Meteor also took on a different role on the roster. He switched from a Duelist to a Sentinel.

Despite a major shift in responsibilities, Meteor has been putting up incredible performances and has been a big asset for Gen.G, helping them secure multiple rounds.

Talking about the role change, Meteor shares his simple philosophy:

“I just thought of myself as a Jett without a dash. And I'm just shooting opponents”

Further adding about the nerves and how the Fnatic series helped him conquer them.

“I was nervous facing other teams, but having the chance to go up against Fnatic helped me get the nerves out of the way.

I think it really made me grow and perform better.”

Masters Shanghai and the struggles of Gen.G:

“I would really like to go back home”

With the tumultuous relations between China and Gen.G, it was reported that Gen.G weren’t getting a lot of practice in China. Additionally, their duelist t3xture was targeted during his live streams.

Talking about the situation, Meteor said:

“We're not getting as much practice as we would like, but it's fine because we can play ranked games with the free time we have. I think it's good for us to play more ranked.

It doesn't affect us mentally that much, but I would really like to go back home and be in a better environment when Shanghai is over for us.”

Despite the uphill battle, Gen.G have won all their games. They do struggle in the first maps but always manage to close it out.

Further clarifying on the early game struggles, Meteor said:

“No, it wasn't a problem. It was just that we couldn't get used to the venue on the first maps.”

In their game against 100 Thieves, which helped them secure Mercedes Benz Arena, they performed exceptionally well 2-0’ing their opponents.

Talking about the game, Meteor said:

“One of the things we took away from our other series, when we played all three maps, was the need to focus and start hot. We can't afford a slow start because it will give us a hard time throughout the series.

It was about making sure that the focus and energy are here. We need to win those crucial rounds cleanly and keep our heads in the game.”

Talking about their next game opponents, Meteor said:

“Honestly, I think Team Heretics are going to win today. So I would say I prefer to face G2, because it's going to be easier for us to face the weaker team. So yeah, I would say G2.”

Lastly, when asked which team he wants to meet in the finals, Meteor said:

“We need a Pacific team to win this event. And it's about time. So, I would say Paper Rex.”

Gen.G and Meteor's journey continues as they face G2 Esports in the Upper Finals of VCT Masters Shanghai Playoffs. They will now play in front of a larger audience and will be looking to finish what they started during Masters Madrid.

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The Masters Shanghai action now resumes on 7th June with the Upper Finals. Catch the games live on Twitch and YouTube.

Stay tuned on Strafe YouTube for exclusive interviews, press conferences and more. You can also follow the tournament on Strafe.

Featured Image Credits: David Lee/Riot Games