C9 Zven: "The only other team that's somewhat good is Team Liquid."

Olivia Richman Published 09/06/2020

It’s no surprise that Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen is feeling cofident going into the 2020 LCS Summer Split.

Cloud9 had an almost flawless Spring Split, with no other North American teams even coming close to knocking them out of the top spot. But with Worlds on the line, Zven and his teammates are determined to stay on top of their game. WIN.gg spoke with the Spring Split champion about threats to C9’s title aspirations and what it would mean to make it to Worlds.

After completely dominating last split, what has been your team’s motivation to improve for the Summer Split?

Zven: I don’t think anyone needs motivation right now. Spring didn’t really matter that much this year, with no reward, no MSI. It feels good to be a champion, but everyone wants to go to Worlds. We are thinking about Worlds now and doing our best to make our region proud. That’s our motivation to win Summer Split.

Do you think Summer Split will be just as successful? Do you think it will be a similar performance?

I think it’s hard to beat a 17-1, followed by a 9-1 playoff run. But I hope to at least win the Summer Split. Honestly to me, the record isn’t what matters. It’s the result that matters and it’s hopefully winning the Summer Split. And it’s likely, right now, that we are the best team in the league.

Which teams are looking like a possible threat this time around?

We haven’t scrimmed every team, but we’ve practiced with most. The only team that feels somewhat good is Team Liquid. It was a change for the better for them. As for TSM, they changed their roster a little bit and it was also for the better. TL and maybe TSM at some point seem like the teams that will challenge us the most this split.

Do you like having challenges?

I’m happy we have someone who can challenge us a little bit. That way we can get better and hopefully not get embarrassed when we go to Worlds. Having a rival is really helpful, like G2 and Fnatic keep raising the bar because they challenge each other all the time. They wouldn’t be as good without each other. I hope we get some challenge this split.

Did winning the LCS Spring Split feel better than winning an LEC split?

I think LEC felt better. At the time, it was my first trophy. It was special to me. Besides that, it’s not too different. They don’t feel different. It felt good to win my first trophy in NA, too. But it feels good to win always, no matter the region. I hope summer will be in front of a crowd, although I know it’s unlikely.

Does it help to have a crowd’s energy to feed off of?

Yeah, the atmosphere is nice. The experience of the whole thing is memorable. I want to look back at my career and have those memories and think of the finals I won.

Do you think you guys can prove that NA is a serious region on the international scene this year?

I don’t know but I will try my best. I know my team is trying their hardest. I hope to not embarrass NA at Worlds again.

What would going to Worlds mean to you personally?

I haven’t been for two years. I thought going to Worlds was something I’d do every year. I took it for granted. But I want to get back up there and show everyone, and myself, that I still got it.

I also came to C9 to hopefully not just win a split, but go to Worlds and hopefully do well. It’s our goal for the year; to go to Worlds and do well.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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