Ilia “something” Petrov initially created headlines when he racked up 120 kills on Sengoku Gaming on February 19, 2023, during their 3-1 win above IGZIST in spherical a single of the Valorant Challengers Japan Break up 1 decrease bracket.
He broke his very own document in the identical event by racking up 136 kills the subsequent working day in the next round of the lower bracket versus FENNEL, placing a new document in professional Valorant. Even with his incredible functionality, Sengoku Gaming missing 3-2, and bowed out of the competitiveness.
For lovers, this was more than sufficient for them to rally VCT Pacific teams to signal him.
So when he joined Singapore-dependent esports group Paper Rex in March 2023 for the inaugural VCT Pacific league, hardly two months right after his monster performances — it truly was something.
Aside from creating waves in this element of the world, this devoted participant even braved through superior ping to tear up the North American servers, he tells Just one Esports in an special interview.
PRX one thing achieved some thing that other professionals would discover tough to do
When a little something hit rank a single on the Japan server, quite a few execs in the area commenced getting note of him. Now in VCT Pacific, his popularity surged when he nailed a 3K on Pearl with Jett in his debut match that Tarık “tarik” Çelik reacted to. What’s extra, enthusiasts started off evaluating him to Tyson “TenZ” Ngo.
But ahead of all this, he had a different achievement unlocked: he hit leading six on the North American server, and even performed video games that saw tarik, TenZ, and Shahzeb “ShahZaM” Khan in the identical match.
He was so very good that some professionals even imagined he was cheating.
But here’s the catch — not only did he climb to Immortal, he did so on 160 ping playing from Japan where by he was centered. And when he does not feel there is any solution to climbing rank on NA, he did make changes because of to the ping distinction.
“If it is 160 ping, you are not able to hold angles. You require to only peek,” he shared with Just one Esports. “Only peek and then one-faucet using the Vandal.”
He did all this only applying Jett and the identical gun around and more than. He never ever touches the Phantom — which at times involves a player to spray down — due to the fact he doesn’t use crouch, ever.
“For example, you eliminate just one, you crouch, and then right after this 1 a lot more enemy peeks since would like to trade his teammate, and you die. No way you kill one particular additional,” something stated.
Of system, some pros do crouch, which include a distinct teammate on Paper Rex.
“I can not spray or participate in like him. It is incredibly hard. He always crouches and kills, and I say, ‘How?! How you do this? Each time?’”
Even though he reached so a great deal on the NA server, even ruffling some NA pro players’ feathers, he doesn’t be expecting to do this yet again — nor have a repeat 120 or 136-get rid of general performance, which he says came with “a bit of luck.”
“I really do not know… 3rd time? No, it is very difficult. I do not know how. How? How I can do this once more?” he laughed. “It’s extremely challenging.”
His rising checklist of individual achievements did even so, maximize the stress he felt now that he’s with Paper Rex in VCT Pacific. He was very well informed that viewers know him as the pro who had established two planet documents in Challengers Japan, and felt “a minimal bit nervous.”
It’s also something’s 1st time competing on LAN. The transform in environment, being on stage in front of an audience, signing up for the crew that finished 2nd at Masters Cophenhagen 2022, it all included up to what he phone calls a “combo.”
“It’s just a recreation. Why am I nervous? Just continue to enjoy,” he tells himself on stage.
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