In the first event featuring jL as a stand-in, apEX also stepped up individually to help Vitality reach the BLAST Porto playoffs.
Vitality's journey at BLAST Open Porto has been far from smooth. After suffering an upset loss to Inner Circle in their opener, they dropped to the lower bracket, but then defeated 9z, Legacy and FUT in a row to fight their way out.
apEX deserves a lot of credit for Vitality being able to pull off this comeback. So far at this event, he has averaged a 1.07 Rating and delivered key performances in the last two series.
“Of course I want to win the title, but if we really win, I'll feel a bit sorry for mezii.”
After the match, HLTV interviewed the Vitality captain about his individual form at this event, what the team has missed with mezii absent on paternity leave, and how Vitality adapted to reach the playoffs.
Q: First of all, congratulations on advancing. Now that you've successfully made it to the knockout stage, what is your first reaction?
apEX: To be honest, I'm really happy. We went through a very difficult period, but things are gradually getting better now, even though we're still playing with a stand-in. I feel like we're playing better now, with a bit more confidence, playing bolder, and landing a few more headshots. Honestly, that really helps. It's also great to be able to do this with jL. I've played some events with stand-ins in my career, but I'm not like karrigan, who as an IGL has played countless matches with all kinds of stand-ins. This isn't something I'm particularly used to, but it's definitely been a really interesting experience.
Q: As you said, you seem to be getting better with every match. Is that just because the whole team's confidence is gradually growing, or is it also because jL is starting to fit in more with the team?
apEX: Honestly, we completely threw the first match away ourselves. Cache was a game we lost by ourselves. But even though Anubis ended 13-8, we actually made a lot of correct reads on the CT side, so there is a lot to take away from it. At the same time, our individual performances were very poor, ZywOo played one of his worst BO3s in a very long time, etc., which of course didn't help. Overall, we were all a bit off individually at the time, so the games were not easy. Later we started landing more headshots again, and the opponents were all teams with very strong aim, like FUT for example, which is their strength to begin with. But I think our teamwork was still slightly better, so that helped us.
“This VRS thing is insane.”
Q: I think you're proud not just because you successfully advanced to the playoffs, but also because this final stretch was actually very difficult. 9z, Legacy, and FUT are all teams that have been in very good form recently.
apEX: Almost all of them are ranked ahead of us. These wins are also very important for VRS, we probably gained around 150 points in total across the three tournaments and finally clawed back some decent points. VRS is really crazy. We won five titles in a row before, and then you just get eliminated in the quarterfinals in two consecutive events and you can immediately drop to fourth or fifth in the world. For me, that's really a bit hard to understand. But that's just how the rules are. We know the ranking can drop very fast, and it can rise just as fast, so that's our goal now.
Q: Coming into this tournament, you obviously had to use substitutes. In this situation, did the team still have high expectations for the results?
apEX: I have always had very high expectations. As long as you're in Vitality, as long as we have such excellent players and such a strong team, we will always have very high expectations. So it's impossible to lower our goals just because we have a stand-in. If you don't count the BLAST Bounty, we may have gone thirty or forty tournaments in a row without being eliminated in the group stage. I remember the last time was probably Katowice 2024.
So for me, qualifying for the playoffs is very important first and foremost. After that, we'll see how far we can go while enjoying the tournament together with jL. Also, I want to prove to the world that he is still capable of playing at a high level. I think performing well here is important for him, and it can help him get more opportunities.
Even without mezii, I still have high hopes for this team. In a way, of course I want to win the title, but if we actually win, I'll feel a bit sorry for him, because he's bound to feel a bit bad, which is only natural.
Q: What exactly did you lose after mezii's absence? Obviously, in terms of positions and roles on the server, he fits your system better than a substitute, but what else?
apEX: First, we're missing a voice, and also a very calm person. jL is actually quite calm as well, but he's also a bit crazy. And we already have enough crazy guys on our team, so sometimes in situations like before a map starts, the whole team gets a bit chaotic. At the same time, we've also lost one of the best support players in the positions he played. So losing him is definitely not easy. But jL has been really outstanding as a stand-in. And I think for him as a stand-in, being able to join such a great team to compete is also a good thing. It's been a really great experience.
"I'm spending a lot of time playing CS now."
In a way, I also feel a bit sorry for mezii. He wasn't in particularly good individual form during the first half of the season, especially towards the end of that first half. But by EWC, I felt his form had already bounced back to a much better level, and then he had to temporarily leave us. It's a real shame for him, because we know how well he can play and we know just how important he is to this team. I just hope that when he comes back, he can play the best Counter-Strike of his career, because he's the best teammate I've ever played with.
Q: Your individual performance at this tournament has been quite good, even playing some of your best maps in a long time. Considering the team is playing with a stand-in and had been struggling with overall form beforehand, did you consciously tell yourself that you had to step up individually?
apEX: I don't know either. Honestly, I think in the first half of the season, I actually played some really outstanding BO3s and BO5s. But afterwards, just like last year, my form dropped again. As the IGL, it's really difficult to get it back once your form drops, because you first have to take care of the whole team, and only then do you have time to deal with your own issues.
I've been putting a huge amount of time into playing CS. What makes me really sad is that this investment didn't show at EWC. That was one of our most important tournaments, very important for Vitality as well, and I really wanted to perform well there myself. During that period, I was playing CS more than I had in a very long time, but in the end it just didn't translate into the matches. And now, I feel like all that hard work is finally starting to pay off.
So I'm really happy. I played really well on the third map yesterday, and I played really well on both maps today. Honestly, it helps my confidence a lot. As an entry fragger who also has to handle rotations, this form allows me to move more boldly and take the initiative, and those attempts worked today against these young players. Their aim is probably twice, even three times better than mine.
But when I can play like this, I think we are a very dangerous team.