The penultimate day of the VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Playoffs ended, with only two teams remaining in the mix. EMEA's Fnatic will have a showdown against the rivals from Americas, Evil Geniuses. The winner gets to go home as world champions, securing $350,000 prize money. The top spot also grants their region an extra spot at Valorant Champions 2023 in Los Angeles.
Evil Geniuses were able to best the last hope of the Pacific region, Paper Rex, in an intense and exciting best-of-five series. It went the distance as all five maps were played. Fans were treated to an incredible experience of Valorant as they witnessed epic gameplay moments.
Everything to know about VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Playoffs Day 7
The seventh day of VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Playoffs featured Evil Geniuses and Paper Rex in the first best-of-five series of the tournament in the lower bracket finals.
Match results
Here is the result of the best-of-five series in the lower bracket finals played between Evil Geniuses and Paper Rex
- Evil Geniuses vs Paper Rex: Fracture (13-7), Lotus (12-14), Split (10-13), Pearl (13-6), and Ascent (13-8)
Major highlights from VCT Masters Tokyo 2023 Playoffs Day 7
1) Jinggg closes out Lotus with style
Wang "Jinggg" Jing Jie has been the shining star for Paper Rex in their incredible run at VCT Masters Tokyo. Jinggg again showed his prowess and exceptional mechanics on his trademark agent, Raze.
He secured two incredibly clean rounds in overtime, nabbing seven kills. This was enough for Paper Rex to win Lotus and even out the series.
2) Mindfreak keeps his cool to win the 1v3
Aaron "mindfreak" Leonhart is one of the most clutch players in the VCT circuit. The Controller for Paper Rex has remained a consistent factor and an enabler for the team's chaotic and hyper-aggressive playstyle.
The Indonesian player won the tenth round of Split Paper Rex by utilizing Astra's post-plant power effectively. His clean aim and game sense bought them enough time for the spike to detonate.
3) Boostio secures three kills in the blink of an eye
Kelden "Boostio" Pupello has been a standout player at VCT Masters Tokyo 2023. The IGL and Sentinel player for Evil Geniuses has routinely come up clutch and has constantly found himself at the top of the leaderboard in terms of ACS and kills.
Boostio was able to punish a lethargic Skye flash by Paper Rex's Khalish "d4v41" Rusyaidee in Round 9 of Pearl to secure three huge kills. The play completely shut down the round for Paper Rex.
4) CGRS starts off strong on Ascent
Patiphan "CGRS" Posri has been a big talking point at VCT Masters Tokyo ever since he subbed in for Ilya "something" Petrov due to the latter's visa issues.
The Thai content creator fulfilled the role of an initiator, including his signature Gekko throughout the team's great run at the tournament.
CGRS proved himself to be a serviceable player able to have his moments, such as the opening round of the final map. He got four kills with quick reflexes and sharp aim to give a strong start for Paper Rex.
5) Demon1 goes god mode to secure series point
Max "Demon1" Mazanov has been the breakout star in the 2023 VCT circuit. The Duelist player for Evil Geniuses has stunned fans across the world with his incredible gameplay consisting of crisp aiming and excellent game sense.
Demon1 showed up big time against Paper Rex with a 99/70/20 scoreline across all five maps. An incredible 4k with Jett on Ascent showcased his proficiency with her Bladestorm ultimate.
This explosive play sealed the deal on Paper Rex's hopes for a comeback.
Standings
With the completion of the lower bracket finals, only one match remains in VCT Masters Tokyo 2023. Fnatic and Evil Geniuses will face off in the grand finals and compete for the title. Paper Rex is eliminated and secured third place at this event.
Schedule for Day 8
The schedule for the final day of the competition is as follows:
- Fnatic vs Evil Geniuses- Sunday, June 25 - 8:30 am IST / 5:00 am CEST / 8:00 pm PDT (Saturday, June 24).
Valorant esports fans can tune into the official Valorant Twitch and YouTube channels to watch the grand finals of VCT Masters Tokyo 2023.