T1 Triumphs, but Faker Still Delivers a “Shock” Performance That Leaves Fans Stunned
One of the most common elements that teams apply to “hold the line” while also training for new matchups is the ranked environment. For LCK teams, this becomes even more significant, given that the Korean rank is often viewed as the highest quality in League of Legends. Typically, teams will focus on climbing the ranks during the night unless they are competing in tournaments or facing a recent defeat. In the case of Faker, he has recently demonstrated this new reality: he is ranked high even at dawn while T1 just secured a victory.
According to reports, fans noticed that Faker consistently climbed the ranks until 5 AM (Korean time), despite T1 having achieved a rather straightforward victory over BNK FearX. The choices of champions by Faker revolved around his favorites like Orianna, Taliyah, and Sylas. Notably, when using the champion Smolder, Faker faced a tough loss despite having a high winning percentage.
However, the concern among fans is not solely due to Faker’s “unusual” rank climbing but rather the frequency of his practice with T1’s coaching staff. Additionally, this is not the first time in the 2025 Regular Season that Faker has been “trying hard” at dawn. However, unlike other competitors, Faker is now older, and he often has to contend with recurring injuries, particularly in his hands from last year. Therefore, his continuous rank climbing, regardless of the reasons, also raises concerns among many about the potential re-injury.
Faker’s Sentiments on T1’s Challenging Regular Season
Currently, T1 has secured a spot in the playoffs and is gearing up for the upcoming matches in the group stage. They are also looking to prepare strategies and mental fortitude for the more critical matches ahead. More than anyone, Faker seems keen not to miss out on any international competition this year, especially after T1’s early exit from the First Stand event, which was quite disappointing.
However, Faker himself must also exercise caution. Regardless of the reasons affecting his performance in the upcoming stages, it will be detrimental not only to T1 but especially when this year has proven to be particularly demanding, and the teams are also becoming increasingly formidable.
