Roman Dvoryankin: “There will be short but intensive preparation”

Ilya “Kreox” Grom and Virtus.pro general manager Roman Dvoryankin were interviewed by CyberSport.ru following the grand final victory in the Continental League Spring Split.

The player from our League of Legends roster answered questions about the semifinal against M19, his team’s chances at the tournament in Brazil, and his impressions from the regular season of the Continental League. Roman Dvoryankin talked about his emotions during the match between Virtus.pro and Vaevictis Esports, the team’s plans for the second season, and possible practicing sessions in the Americas.

How were you able to save your strength and do well in the fifth games of both the match against M19 and the grand final?

Kreox: We had two weeks before M19 and one week before Vaevictis. We were practicing best-of-fives all the time, and so we were ready to play five games in a row. Our thinking went, “Right, we’ve played four games, we should save some strength for the fifth one if we are to perform well”. We weren’t expecting to have to play five games against Vaevictis, but we’re pleased with the result. We were able to turn the series around; we approached the fifth game better as far as psychology was concerned.

Were you frightened when the score became 2-2?

Roman Dvoryankin: I was. I approached the organizers from Riot Games and asked for two aspirin pills, as I was getting a strong headache; I’m always nervous during a game. This was the first final I was attending, we won, and I’d been a little jittery. But honestly, just like in the game against M19, I knew the guys could do anything. We’d won against M19 for a reason, so I knew everything would be fine.

What should fans expect from your showing abroad?

Kreox: As we saw last year, Albus NoX Luna (currently known as M19) made it as far as the global Top 8. We have great chances among Wildcard region teams. If we get a North American team in the second round, we’ll probably beat them, while a Taiwanese one will be more difficult. We need to advance to the third round of the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational, which will have the best squads from Korea, China and Europe.

Is an extended bootcamp necessary before an international tournament?

Roman Dvoryankin: The players will definitely travel back home now. They need to spend time with friends and family, to take a break from each other. And then, before Brazil, we may get together somewhere in North or South America so that we get used to the time difference ahead of time. There will be short but intensive preparation.

The complete interview (in Russian) is available at the CyberSport.ru portal.

In the grand final of the Continental League Spring Split, Virtus.pro defeated Vaevictis Esports 3-2. Besides the champion’s title and 1.5 million rubles (approx. $27,000), VP won a ticket to the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational, due to be held in Brazil from April 28 to May 21.