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Paper Rex have been eliminated from VCT Masters Madrid after a tough 1-3 loss against the champions of Americas Kickoff, Sentinels. The Pacific giants will not be able to fulfill their goal of lifting an international trophy and all eyes will be on Gen.G to bring home the APAC region its first ever international trophy. Paper Rex surprised many people and exceeded expectations at this event.
Many viewers and fan had their reservations in hyping up Paper Rex considering the recent addition of Cahya "Monyet" Nugraha. Fans were skeptical as to how he would perform with the team at an international level. The Indonesian player was quick to prove people wrong and had a stellar event despite few shortcomings. Paper Rex has proven themselves that they will continue to be an international threat and a team to watch out for.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Esports, Paper Rex's Monyet explained his initial thoughts after the loss against Sentinels and the primary reasons as to what went wrong during the match. The Duelist-Controller player also talked about his plans before the start of VCT Pacific's Split 1 and teammate Mindfreak's importance for his personal growth.
Paper Rex's Monyet talks about the team's run at VCT Masters Madrid and his personal growth at the tournament
Q: Hello Monyet. Commiserations to Paper Rex and you after a hard-fought series against Sentinels. What's going through your mind right now and how has this year been for you so far?
Monyet: I am proud of myself for sure, considering this was my first Masters event and I was able to finish in the Top 3. I have grown a lot in this tournament, and I did not expect to grow this fast over the course of this tournament.
Q: It was a pretty back and forth series where both teams were able to take the map picks of their opponents in dominant fashion. What were some of the factors that influenced this outcome?
Monyet: I think Sentinels knew exactly how we would play Sunset, and we kind of got anti-stratted on the final map. We were unable to adjust mid-game during Sunset. The same reason is why I think we were also able to win Split against Sentinels.
Q: I want to know more about Paper Rex's different team compositions on Split. We saw you play Raze in this series, but we also saw f0rsakeN play it against Gen.G and Team Heretics. What's the consensus with the team on who gets to play Raze on Split and why?
Monyet: I think it's primarily based on comfort. I think it was already the end of the line for us when we went into Split, so we tried to switch things up and come up with new stuff. It worked as you can see with the results in the series.
Q: You had a pretty great debut at a Masters event. However, you also faced consistency issues and had some relatively weak maps. Did piloting two different Agents in Raze and Omen affect your consistency or were there other factors at play?
Monyet: I don't think the Agent mattered. It was more of my understanding on the game. It affected my performance. I definitely knew how the enemy team plays so I knew how to frag, but sometimes I got confused during the game. This made me perform worse than expected.
Q: How has Mindfreak helped you with playing the Controller role in the Paper Rex system considering it is not your primary role and you had a largely different playstyle with Global Esports?
Monyet: When I am not playing Controller, I look at how he really plays the role. I look at the VODs whenever I feel like I am lost playing Controller in order understand why he is very good as a Controller for Paper Rex and try to replicate that.
Q: Before VCT Masters Madrid, you were quite open about your initial struggles with Paper Rex and their fast-paced playstyle. You had a much slower style of gameplay to play with in Global Esports. Has this Masters Event helped you get more used to the Paper Rex system?
Monyet: My chemistry with the team has improved so much during this tournament. I don't even know how but it might be because of the hardwork we did in the past 10-12 days.
Q: I have been following your VCT journey ever since your time with ONIC Esports. How has the road to the top been for you over the past three years in the Valorant esports scene? Is the sky the limit for you?
Monyet: I think the sky is the limit for sure. I am still young and I have a lot of room to improve. I also think my journey has been pretty hard. Since my 16th birthday three years ago, I have not been to my home for more than one year in total. It has been hard for me and I have been away from my family. I moved to a different school just to pursue the VCT dream. It has been a really hard journey for me overall.
Q: What do you think about Sentinels as they head into their rematch against Gen.G in the Grand Finals? Who do you think will become the VCT Masters Madrid champions?
Monyet: I think Gen.G is favored for the Grand Finals. They are coming from the upper bracket and they will have two bans, which is very important.
Q: What are the reflections that you would like to take after VCT Masters Madrid? What do you primarily aim to work upon during this small break before Pacific Split 1?
Monyet: My mental has grown a lot during this tournament. The main focus for me is to improve more on my gamesense and watch more VODs. I want to learn more on how to play Raze and how to be a good Omen. I just want to be the best of the best of the Agents that I play.
Q: Any final thoughts that you would like to share to the Paper Rex fans supporting the team and you?
Monyet: Thank you for supporting us. We went really far at Masters Madrid and I did not expect to be here if I am being honest. See you guys in Split 1!
Check out more VCT Masters Madrid articles:
johnqt on Sentinels' win against LOUD || VCT Masters Madrid schedule and results || VCT Masters Madrid power rankings || Team Heretics at VCT Masters Madrid || Sentinels at VCT Masters Madrid || Paper Rex vs Sentinels || 5 Duelist players to keep an eye out for || 5 Controller players to keep an eye out 5 Sentinel players to keep an eye out for
