Martin Sundelin has made a stopover at home in Sweden when we reach him. Yike, who plays under, has just returned from the major international tournament MSI in London, and soon a new season is underway in Berlin.
In the meantime, he gets a couple of weeks to spend with his family and girlfriend.
It was the G2 Esports talent’s first MSI tournament, and participating in their first international tournament was a scary experience in itself. Yike admits he also had many who doubted whether he could perform at world level ahead of the tournament.
Even if the team went out early in the playoffs, Yike, on the other hand, impressed greatly and has been praised almost in unison by the fans.
– It was cool to go up there and see all the fans there. It felt surreal, it was crazy to walk up there and see all the fans screaming our names and cheering for G2. Many people congratulated me for playing well, so it felt good, he says.
At the same time, he doesn’t want to let the accolades affect him too much.
– It has been a bit strange to get so much attention and praise as I said. But I mostly try to think about my team and not listen so much to other opinions. I think what matters most is what me and my team think, that will always be the focus.
“Much respect for them”
The Chinese and Korean League of Legends teams have dominated League of Legends for years and have therefore achieved an almost mythical status in the scene. However, according to the 22-year-old, the difference was not as great as he feared.
– I had a lot of respect for them, and still do, but they certainly didn’t feel impossible to beat. They were obviously better than those in Europe, but not impossible.
G2 did not get to compete with the very biggest teams, such as T1 and the new champion JDG, but managed to play practice games against them during the London stay.
Yike tells us that G2 had good results in those meetings.
Concerns about the role in G2
One of the reasons Yike has impressed so many since joining G2 has been because he gets to play his signature champions. They almost all fall under the “carry” label.
Yike had some concerns about having to change his playing style completely when he became part of the big team, as many of his teammates also prefer to play the carry role.
However, the team’s trust in the talent paid off directly in the form of a title, when they won the winter split.
– It was a bit scary at the beginning when I met everyone and had to introduce myself, because they have played together for several years and I came in as a newcomer. But the last few months have only gotten better and better, I have good relations with everyone in the team and they are very kind. We have fun together and watch series and such. There is a good atmosphere in the team.
The WC dream
When the summer split begins in June, the focus for G2 is, among other things, on getting better at team fights. In a European context, Yike feels that they can measure up to all teams, but there is still a gap to the Asian star teams.
The hope is of course to play in the World Cup in South Korea this autumn, and Yike now wants to develop his own style of play to be able to help the team even more.
– I want to be able to adapt more and play the support champs better. I think I’m good with Maokai, but I want to be better with Vi and Jarvan and them. So I want to get better at that style, and let my teammates be carries as well.
How big would it be to play in Worlds?
– It’s the dream, I’ve watched the Worlds for many years, so to be able to play there would have been crazy. We have a very good team, so I have high hopes of getting there, says Yike.
The LEC summer season begins on June 17.
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