Photograph by Moon Suwon through Riot Video games
Nonetheless, the TES high laner believes they’re going to take the win.
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Prime Esports’ journey at League of Legends’ First Stand 2025 begins with an intense matchup towards Hanwha Life Esports. However in line with their high laner, it’s not the LCK representatives whom they need to concern.
The First Stand match marks an vital chapter on this 12 months’s aggressive calendar for League of Legends, with the perfect groups from world wide combating for an additional spot within the 2025 Mid Season Invitational. 5 groups will battle it out in an intense one-week competitors, and amongst them the LPL representatives aiming to assert the worldwide supremacy as soon as once more.
In an interview with Dot Esports, TES’ high laner Bai “369” Jia-Hao spoke about his crew’s mindset heading into the match, the rising energy of Western groups, and his personal growth as a participant.
Throughout MSI 2024, 369 acknowledged that Western groups had made vital strides towards Jap groups, however at Worlds, they failed to keep up that momentum. When requested whether or not Western groups have a greater shot at a world title this time, he agreed.
“For the primary time, Western groups acquired a giant probability to have an excellent consequence,” the participant stated. He identified that First Stand’s tight schedule may work of their favor, as Western groups have proven a robust means to adapt to new metas in a short time—however that’s not their solely robust swimsuit in line with 369.
First Stand introduces the Fearless Draft system to League’s worldwide occasions, and Western groups have a repute for unconventional picks. “They’re very revolutionary groups, so perhaps they’ll have some joker picks developing within the match,” 369 stated, particularly alluding to rumors of an off-meta Teemo choose from Karmine Corp.
Regardless of his admiration for his or her ingenuity, 369 has caught to a extra conventional champion pool this 12 months. “That you must actually do the basic issues effectively, and after that, you’ll be able to experiment with particular picks or playstyles,” he defined.
Regardless of focusing extra on Western groups than earlier than, 369 has little to concern about stunning picks in his direct matches, as all high laners within the match are from an Jap nation — a “enjoyable truth,” as he described it. TES’ high laner discovered this truth amusing however famous that on the highest stage “particulars actually matter,” hinting that minor variations in mechanics or recreation sense could possibly be why top-tier Western high laners are absent even from LEC and LTA groups.
TES’ opening match at First Stand shall be towards Hanwha Life Esports, and 369 will go up towards Zeus, the previous T1 high laner who eradicated him from Worlds 2024—an opponent who supplies an additional motivation for a win. “I actually have a robust want for revenge towards them, and I must do my finest to make this revenge occur,” 369 declared.
However this matchup shall be greater than only a high lakers’ rivalry as it’ll function an important take a look at of the LPL’s energy compared to the LCK this 2025. At the moment, HLE sits atop many energy rankings for First Stand, edging out TES who didn’t have a strong begin of the 12 months as compared. Nonetheless, TES has the potential to show doubters improper and present that their area remains to be a power to be reckoned with.
“Our aim is all the time to do higher and higher in each single recreation, each single collection.” the highest laner continued. “So if we will actually try this to maintain enhancing and enhancing, I imagine we’re going to win the ultimate title.”
As TES enter First Stand, they’re a formidable contender, however their journey is much from sure. Their consistency shall be their greatest hurdle, but when they discover their peak type, they might problem the match favorites and probably declare the championship.
