RNG Ming: ‘People call us MSI kings, but I treat us as Worlds challengers’
The LPL team is hungry for more trophies.
Royal Never Give Upjust made esports history as the firstLeague of Legendsteam to win threeMid-Season Invitational (MSI)titles. But the team’s 2022 journey has only begun, according to RNG support Shi “Ming” Sen-Ming, with Worlds 2022 looming large.
RNG Ming has seen RNG through all three of its MSI championships, but he has yet to raise a trophy on the World Championship stage. The team’s efforts came up short at Worlds 2021, where they lost to LPL rivalEdward Gaming3-2 in the quarterfinals.
During the post-tournament press conference, Ming opened up about what MSI 2022 had taught him and how the team intends to prepare for Worlds 2022, the culmination of the League of Legends tournament circuit.
RNG Ming knows it’s hard to stay at the top
After defeatingT1in the championship final, RNG Ming is widely considered to be the best bot lane player. However, he’s quick to point out that being the best really depends on your in-game form and how you read the meta.
In fact, it can often be anyone’s game. There are several bot lane duos that are extremely dangerous in the game, said Ming, Even as the top seed out of theRumble Stage, the LPL team still lost best-of-one matches toG2 EsportsandT1.
These losses forced the team to reassess their draft strategies and gameplay prior to the Knockout Stage.
“The biggest takeaway from MSI 2022 is the different playstyles we encountered. We really have to pay attention when we go up against those teams,” said Ming.
What’s next for Royal Never Give Up?
While Royal Never Give Up celebrated their victory with a big meal and a good night’s rest, the boys already have their sights set on the LPL summer season, where they still need to secure their spot at Worlds later this year.
The LPL is one of the most competitive regions and also the largest with 17 participating teams. RNG must either win the summer playoffs or take first or second place in the Regional Finals to claim a spot at the international tournament.
RNG Ming sees the MSI 2022 championship as a fitting way to conclude the first half of the year. Moving forward, both he and his team need to be ready to adapt to substantial incoming meta changes and stronger opponents as they head into Worlds.
“I definitely have that desire to win a World Championship, but I also want to have the normal mindset towards that goal as challengers,” said Ming. “People call us the king of kings of MSI, but I would treat us as Worlds challengers instead.”
After clinching their third MSI title, Royal Never Give Up will head back into the regular season with the LPL Summer Split. The start date of the season has yet to be announced.
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READ MORE:Royal Never Give Up make esports history as the first three-time MSI champions
