In the first round of the League of Legends 2024 World Championship Switzerland round, HLE defeated PSG to win the opener, and after the match, Korea media interviewed HLE midlaner Zeka. He first shared his thoughts on the fight at Riot Arena, "When we played at LOL PARK in Korea, the fans sat behind us and cheered for us, but when we played here, the crowd was dozens of meters away and cheered for us. At first, I was more nervous, but as the race progressed, I gradually got used to the environment. ”
Zeka then admitted, "Maybe it was because it was our first race, so I was a little nervous and I didn't do well at first. Luckily, we ended the game with a win. Zeka said that he was still a little unfamiliar with the stadium with the seats facing the audience, "When I actually stepped on the stage to start the game, I realized that it was a completely different feeling from the LCK. I was a little stiff at first, but once I got into the game, I quickly got used to the atmosphere of the scene. ”
Despite the fact that the performance was not perfect, HLE won the tournament with a high level of competition. Zeka believes that their well-prepared strategy for changing lines was key to winning the opening game of the round in Switzerland. "We were very well prepared for the changeover. Although we were killed many times in the early stages, we gained an advantage on the other side of the map, and we achieved many times that we could gain benefits even if we died. ”
Zeke used his iconic hero Yonn in the game, saying, "During the summer, we established a style of play, but with the sudden change of version, we needed some time to re-elaborate on the team's fittings. The current version hasn't changed much, the mid laner position has been slightly adjusted, and it feels very similar overall. He also mentioned that "all the teams finished their first game, and everyone didn't have a long time to prepare, and as the game progressed, the version understanding will gradually stabilize." At the moment, each team has a different understanding of the version, which also allows a diverse variety of heroes to appear in the arena. ”
With Zeka missing the World Finals last year, this was his first experience of the Switzerland round format and he felt the pressure of the BO1 format. "I'm probably better suited to the BO5 format because BO1 has more opportunities for weaker teams and there can be some unpredictable situations, so I feel pressured," he said. But he also thinks the fast-moving Switzerland round format is more interesting: "It's the first time to play so quickly, and after watching the previous matches, I think the Switzerland round and the group stage are different in fun. ”
HLE are currently in Group 1-0 with a 1-win record, and there are no easy opponents in this group, and many teams are favorites to win the title. Zeka commented, "We've warmed up today, and even if we're pressed for time, we'll reorganize our hero priorities. Tomorrow we will definitely play against the big teams and we will be fully prepared. ”
In an interview with the English stream, Zeka mentioned his tacit understanding with jungler Peanut, saying, "Before I was on the same team as Peanut, I thought we would get along, and after working together this year, the tacit understanding between the two sides improved, which is why we won the Summer Championship and made it to the Worlds. "In every World Championship that Peanut has participated in, it was the LCK team that won the championship, and he is also considered a lucky character to win the LCK. Zeka said, "This time Peanut is also participating in the Worlds, we are an LCK team, and I will definitely try to make him have the last laugh." ”
Zeka's last appearance in the World Finals was in 2022, when he and DRX won the championship as a dark horse team, and this year's HLE entered as the No. 1 seed in the LCK. Zeka does feel the difference between this year's No. 4 seed in the LCK and two years ago, "I feel the pressure and the sense of responsibility, but I think it's the responsibility that the No. 1 seed team has to have, so I just want to finish the tournament well. "HLE will face G2 in the second round of the Switzerland round, the strongest team in Europe with the best midlaner Caps in the West, and we are looking forward to two top midlaners.