"I don’t think there is any added pressure or different emotions" - Yay on OpTics mindset for Masters Copenhagen

With VCT 2022 - Stage 2 - Masters Copenhagen, the second LAN event and final Masters of VCT 2022, commencing in less than twenty-four hours, the excitement and hype in the Valorant community is surreal. But before twelve of the world’s best teams engage in intense matches for the title, representatives of a few teams participated in a press conference answering intriguing questions presented to them by the audience.

The conference was conducted at 9 AM PST/6PM Local Time and featured the following players:

• Press Conference 1: OpTic Gaming – Yay, LOUD – Sacy, KRÜ Esports – Klaus, Guild Esports – Sayf
• Press Conference 2: DRX – Stax, FunPlus Phoenix – Ardiis, XERXIA – Crws, NORTHEPTION – Derialy
• Press Conference 3: Leviatán – Tacolillalzh, LOUD – Sadhak, Guild Esports – Koldamenta

Without further ado, let’s dive into the answers the participants had for the questions THESPIKE.GG asked.

THESPIKE.GG: How different are the emotions going into this tournament compared to International events in the past and is there an added pressure of defending the Masters title?

Jaccob "yay" Whiteaker - I don’t think there is any added pressure, or even different emotions since our mentality going into any tournament is to perform the best we can focusing on each match as it comes. I try to approach matters with a growth mindset rather than a results-oriented one.

THESPIKE.GG: Your team encountered a major setback after not being allowed to travel to Iceland. How does it feel to final participate in an International event?

Ardis "ardiis" Svarenieks - It feels good to be honest since we qualified for Reykjavik. I’m just lucky to be here even though it’s not with a full team which is a bit sad, but we still have 4 players and hopefully by Champions we’ll have all 5.

THESPIKE.GG: Your team’s luck at international tournaments hasn't been great. What do you plan on doing differently to change the outcome this time?

Kim "Zest" Gi-seok - We didn’t necessarily prepare anything different this time either. We will try sticking to what we are good at and try to execute set plays coherently as team while elevating our individual competencies as well.

THESPIKE.GG: People were under the impression that you would retire after the last event. But you’ve managed to lead the team to their 2nd consecutive Masters. What makes you continue partaking in competitive Valorant?

Thanamethk "Crws" Mahatthananuyut - Unfortunately, it’s something I would not like to discuss here. Our team felt comfortable with each other, and we were already a perfect match. I had initially planned to retire was to find a better replacement for myself on the roster.

THESPIKE.GG: In Stage 1, you were so close to qualifying for the Masters even after losing the LATAM tournament. This time around, you managed to dethrone KRU and take the title for yourselves. How proud do you feel about your team’s achievements so far and the tournament ahead?

Vicente Ignacio "Tacolilla" Compagnon Quintar - Although it does feel nice, I don’t like getting comfortable, and I am always on the lookout to win even more because I believe our team has the potential to do so. We weren’t as prepared last time, but no we have everything we need to do a good job at the Masters.

And that's a wrap from for Masters Copenhagen press conference coverage from THESPIKE.GG.