Fnatic have kicked off the Worlds 2022 group stage with a positive start. They took down LCS first seed Cloud9 in their first game and LCK giants, T1 in their second game. They currently sit at the top of the group with a 2-0 lead and face EDG next.
While the Worlds group stage is far from over, with four games left to be played, Fnatic have bolstered their chances of making it to the next stage. Following their win against T1, Esports.gg spoke to Fnatic’s Martin “Wunder” Hansen. The top laner shared his thoughts on the victory and the work needed to be done to succeed at Worlds 2022.
Wunder’s Confidence pays off in T1 game
Hello Wunder, thanks for joining and congrats on the win today. So you have a good record against T1 in the past but seeing their game against EDG , how was it for you coming into this game?
Wunder: “I think having a good record against T1 doesn’t really matter when you get into the game. But it obviously helps like the confidence knowing that the teams you’re playing against are beatable. For a lot of newer players playing against like big household names or people that you have a lot of respect for can get into your head. But if you kind of have taken them out a lot of times before maybe it’s it’s not the same feeling you get. I mean they’re not the best team in their region right now; and I have taken them out personally when they were on the top of their their game. So yeah, I mean, I was confident that we could beat them today as well.”
Fnatic’s Wunder at Worlds 2022. Image credit: Riot Games
Turning to the top lane meta. Do you think there’s been a much difference since Play-Ins from from these two games you’ve played so far?
Wunder: “I think the difference is that the top laners in groups are just generally a little bit better. So if there’s anyone that can pull off like the Jax, the Fiora, all this it’s probably like the top tier Eastern players. But I think the top meta is pretty much the same as we saw in Play-Ins.”
Yeah, so speaking of top laners , you went up against Zeus, what did you make of his Jax play?
Wunder: “Hmm, it’s hard to say I think he didn’t play poorly. I’m not sure I mean of course. He had like decent lane phase. I don’t think he was like super oppressive or anything. I for sure had it harder I guess when I played that matchup.”
First Worlds with Fnatic
This is your first Worlds not as a G2 player , how does the experience for you going with Fnatic?
Wunder: “I mean, being in Fnatic, I’ve kind of gotten used to it. The only thing that really changes is the players I’m playing with. I think in G2 I had like the same core people that I played with. And now I’m on a journey with some new guys.”
“There’s new personalities, new ways of doing things. I think every one is like, kind of new in a way. Every year, you more or less have a new roster; and you have to figure out the best way of playing these kinds of tournaments with them. And that’s just what we’re doing here in Fnatic as well.”
You have a lot of worlds experience; you get to bring that here and play with Razork who’s experiencing his first world tournaments how’s that been going so far?
Wunder: “I think I think Razork is playing well on stage and despite all like the nerves that you possibly could have, he’s been having and had a good game today. I think the one thing that is like different from him is that Worlds is generally like you kind of have to sacrifice a little bit more when it comes to giving up your time and maybe screaming at like odd hours or when you’re tired or exhausted. I think maybe that’s something he will figure out at some point. But that’s that’s the only thing I have so far.”
Wunder and Razork at Worlds 2022. Image credit: Riot Games
You’ve played more games than others in your group with the play-ins, do you think that gives Fnatic an edge in groups?
Wunder: “I think going through Play-Ins is good for our team especially since we didn’t have as many competitive games in our own region compared to like the Eastern teams. And we also didn’t have like the best preparation, the best practice in scrims coming into the tournament, so Play-Ins for sure helped.”
Wunder: “Just because we beat T1, it doesn’t mean we’ll have an easy game against EDG”
Your group was tagged as the ‘Group of death” before Worlds started, having played few games now, what are your impressions now?
Wunder: “I mean, it’s hard to say. Going into tournaments like this, you don’t actually know what team will show up, what team will choke. Think looking on paper our group is tough. We have like two very storied and accomplished Eastern and teams and we have Cloud9, who 3-0’d finals I believe in NA.”
“So if you were to meet an NA team they will probably be the hardest ;and EDG and T1 are usually making it of groups. So of course, from the outside, it will look like a really hard group to make it out of. Despite being 2-0, two wins is not enough to make it out of the groups, so we still have to try our best.”
So, there’s still a lot of games left in the group stage, but if you were to make it out, who would you like to face?
Wunder: “I don’t really have like anyone in particular. Like every top laner has been playing for a lot, I think internationally. I mean, there would be Nuguri. I guess it’d be fun to play against him. It’s like kind of a rematch every single year I play at Worlds. I played against him two times now in a B05. I won one, lost one, so it’ll be fun to play against him again.”
Lastly, you face EDG in your next game, what are your thoughts on the team and the game tomorrow?
Wunder: “I think the game tomorrow is gonna be exciting. It’s our last opponent before we play them all again. So yeah, I mean, they are former World Champions, right? So it’s not going to be an easy game. I think what they showed against T1 is not necessarily how good they can be. And I think just because we beat T1, it doesn’t mean we’ll have an easy game against EDG. So I mean, we are just preparing the best possible way. And I think if we keep our form we will be able to beat them up as well.”
Thank you very much, is there anything else you would like to say?
Wunder: “I mean, I’m happy that we got the two first ones, but the job is not not yet done. Two wins is not enough to make it so although I’m happy we still have a lot of days. I mean, we have tomorrow against EDG. And then like a full day of playing three games. And I think as long as we keep our momentum or whatever you want to call it, I think we’ll do great.”
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