No Chinese players in the S15 finals!

Since Riot officially announced that the World Championship would be held in China, many LPL fans have been hoping for an LPL team to claim the world title on home soil. After all, the popularity of LPL matches has sharply declined recently. However, what left many LPL fans speechless was that none of the four LPL teams qualified for the S15 finals. The fourth seed IG was eliminated by T1 in the play-in stage, the top seed BLG fell in the round of 16, AL, who had high hopes from fans, was knocked out in the quarterfinals, and TES, the last hope for LPL, was spun around and defeated by T1 like a “top.”

With T1 successfully advancing to the World Championship final, this S15 tournament has effectively recreated the S7 scenario, where two LCK teams reached the final. Many LPL fans feel sorrow for their region, especially since not a single Chinese player is present on the S15 final stage. Of course, some fans joked that it was fortunate Riot invited famous singer G.E.M. as the opening ceremony guest; otherwise, there wouldn’t even be one Chinese face in the finals. (This year, LPL has truly been dominated by LCK, with no team able to beat an LCK opponent in a BO5 series all year.)

Kanavi’s performance breaks the audience’s patience

During the spotlight match between TES and T1, TES’s jungler Kanavi’s gameplay was heavily criticized by many viewers. Many believe Kanavi is a classic “choker” in big tournaments. He can dominate opponents in European or domestic matches, but when facing LCK teams, he becomes very “strange.” In the first game, despite TES having advantages on all three lanes, Kanavi wandered around the river for 20 seconds without contesting the dragon, causing TES to lose all their early lane control.

Besides the confusing dragon control in the first game, Kanavi’s Kiana performance in the third game frustrated many LPL fans. Early on, TES players were rallying around Kanavi to set the pace, and he didn’t disappoint, achieving a 4-1 score in the early phase. Many TES supporters believed victory was within reach. However, during a team fight, Kanavi suddenly “lost it” — his fully-skilled Kiana didn’t use a single ability and was killed by T1. From that point on, Kanavi seemed as if he was intoxicated, repeatedly dying in team fights. (Who would have thought that a 4-1 Kiana at the start would end up 6-8?)

T1 players amused by Kanavi’s mistakes

Due to Kanavi’s numerous blunders, T1 players frequently smiled on camera. Meanwhile, many LPL fans protested under TES’s official account, demanding Kanavi be removed from the roster next season. Some even compared TES jungler Kanavi to AL’s AD carry HOPE. Many fans said that although HOPE’s skills are mediocre, he knows how to rely on teammates for easy wins, whereas Kanavi is clueless about his own shortcomings and consistently drags his team down by giving away kills every match.

On the other hand, many LPL fans felt that TES’s top laner 369 and AD carry JKL were undeservedly overlooked, as their performances in this BO5 were on par with Doran and Little Rumble. Many also praised Faker’s incredible skill. Before the World Championship started, many doubted Faker could lead Doran to the finals, but as the tournament progressed, Faker successfully guided Doran to the final and might even bring them the world title. If T1 wins the championship, would it truly prove that the “God King” is a unique position?

Conclusion

TES, as the third seed from LPL, reaching the semifinals is reasonable, but their performance against T1 was truly ugly. If TES had won even one small game against T1, fans wouldn’t have mocked or criticized them so harshly. Do you think TES’s loss to T1 was mainly due to the difference in junglers? Also, do you believe Kanavi will remain in LPL next year? Many LPL fans suspect Kanavi’s loyalty might be questionable.