Gen.G made history at Masters Shanghai as the first team from the Asia-Pacific region to win a VALORANT Champion Tour international event. They beat Team Heretics, the EMEA region’s representatives, in an exciting final match.
This victory is all the more remarkable given Gen.G’s near-miss at Masters Madrid just two months ago. Gen.G advanced to the finals of that event, but were defeated 3-2 by the North American representatives, Sentinels.
Gen.G, undeterred by prior disappointments, was resolved to create a different ending in Shanghai. They qualified for the playoffs with a perfect score and went on to crush the EMEA teams in the knockout rounds. They overcame fan favorites Fnatic in the first round and G2 Esports in the semi-finals. Finally, they defeated Team Heretics in the grand finals.
Gen.G held the advantage of map veto entering into the tournament’s final match, having won the upper bracket final. They purposefully barred Bind and Sunset, two of Team Heretics’ greatest maps, and chose Breeze as the initial map. This strategy attempted to maximize Gen.G’s advantage while selecting a map that Team Heretics would not be comfortable with.
Team Heretics, on the other hand, faced a difficult situation. They had played for three days in a succession and had little time to practice Breeze and Split. In the post-match press conference, their coach mentioned the lack of preparation and acknowledged that it had an impact on their performance.
Gen.G carried out their plan flawlessly, winning the first map handily with a 13-6 score. Team Heretics, on the other hand, fought back in the next two games, defeating Ascent and IceBox 13-9. Despite losing faith on these maps, Gen.G regrouped and entered the last map, Lotus, with newfound confidence. They were resolved not to lose the trophy again.
Gen.G dominated the game by defeating Lotus, forcing a fifth map, and allowing Team Heretics only four rounds. The last map began similarly to Breeze and Lotus, with Gen.G seizing control early and dominating the first part of the game. After switching sides 9-3, Gen.G simply needed to deny the curse to win and create APAC history. They won the pistol round, converted the bonus shots, and secured a 13-3 victory. This triumph not only marked a watershed event for the Asia-Pacific region, but it also confirmed Gen.G’s position in the VALORANT esports scene. With their recent second-place performance at Masters Madrid, they are well-positioned to challenge for a second title on home turf in the upcoming VCT Champions in August.
While no team has officially qualified for VCT Champions this year, Gen.G’s performance at Masters Shanghai and their strong Championship points should give them a significant advantage in the upcoming tournament.
Gen.G’s win in Masters Shanghai demonstrates their determination and skill. They overcame prior disappointments to create an outstanding performance, winning the Asia-Pacific region’s first international title in VALORANT. As the competitive scene continues to evolve, Gen.G’s success marks a milestone for the region and sets the stage for future battles in the VALORANT Champion Tour.