The best team of all time faces their kryptonite; will T1 be able to break their “Gen.G curse”?
The League of Legends World Championship (Worlds) 2024 seems set to witness what could be the tournament’s most thrilling match yet—a Gen.G vs T1 Semifinals. The clash, scheduled for October 27th in Berlin, brings together two of Korea’s finest teams in a best-of-five series that could reshape their rivalry.
Consistency and Excellence: Gen.G Dominates the Regular Season
It has been a year of unquestionable Gen.G dominance as the South Korean team displayed a near-perfect regular season run. They clinched victory in the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) 2024 and entered the World Championship as LCK’s 2nd seed. They have also been clear favorites in the tournament, with fans claiming that Worlds, too, would be Gen.G’s to win.
https://x.com/lolesports/status/1840769973393719479?t=r9kTx-SwrtJreH9hwIUozQ&s=19
Gen.G’s road to domestic excellence ran over T1 in the process, building a strong 11-3 head-to-head record against them in the LCK. Their most recent encounters in the LCK Summer Split resulted in 2-0 victories for Gen.G, showcasing their consistent ability to outmaneuver T1 in domestic competition.
Gen.G’s problem, however, is that they usually fall short of maintaining an impressive form in the most important matches at Worlds, the Summoner’s Cup ever-elusive for LCK’s top dogs. Their superior record got blemished by two more losses in their 3-2 match against FlyQuest in the Quarterfinals. What was predicted to be an easy 3-0 match for Gen.G turned out to be the one where they unprecedentedly get dragged to a Silver Scrapes by an LCS team.
https://x.com/GenG/status/1848046578818240938?t=yZPnZAFIm287-RB04hJNtw&s=19
A Big Stage team: T1’s Resurgence at Worlds
T1, meanwhile, keeps a 1-loss record at Worlds. The only game they dropped in the whole tournament so far is a Swiss Stage best-of-one against Top Esports (TES). T1 then proceeded to crush that same team 3-0 in their quarterfinal rematch, executing a perfect revenge emphasized by a deathless Game 2.
💀 #Worlds2024 pic.twitter.com/1J6ax217CA
— Red Bull Gaming (@redbullgaming) October 19, 2024
Following what has been a disastrous Summer Split, T1 entered Worlds as LCK’s 4th seed and has seemed to gradually regain their form since then. After all, T1 has claimed Worlds as their home ground, displaying significantly better performances when they step into the grandest stage in LoL sports.
Yet, Gen.G stands as a mountain they have time and time again found difficult to climb. The team has been labeled as T1’s kryptonite, and fittingly so. On top of not winning a single series against them this year, T1’s victorious Worlds ‘23 run had their only loss owed to Gen.G. This raises the question of whether the latter’s superiority over T1 truly extends to the international stage. It seems the answer could only be determined by the upcoming League of Legends Worlds 2024 Gen.G vs T1 semis.
Gen.G vs T1: The Winning Conditions and T1’s Shot at Victory
Fans of both sides are equally excited and anxious about the match up. While Gen.G and T1 hold their own advantages over each other, it is still definitely a close call.
Gen.G surpasses T1 in terms of macroplay and drafting strategies. The team has shown that they are not afraid to turn to meta comfort picks if it means outclassing their opponents in a game. On the other hand, T1 has the ability to overwrite the meta and win with unconventional picks—mostly thanks to Keria. With wide champion pools, the team may find it easy to work with various team compositions against Gen.G’s pick-ban tactics.
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Several other key elements could determine the winner of this crucial matchup. T1 could be able to beat Gen.G if they play into their strengths:
- Tournament Performance: T1 demonstrated superior form in their quarterfinal match, securing a clean victory against TES. In contrast, Gen.G faced unexpected resistance from FlyQuest, barely advancing with a close series win.
- Stage Experience: T1’s roster, led by the legendary Faker, has consistently shown their ability to perform under pressure at international events. Their experience in high-stakes matches could prove decisive.
- Strategic Adaptations: T1’s recent success with champions like Ahri and their flexible drafting phase could challenge Gen.G’s usual gameplay patterns. Their ability to build effective team compositions around key picks has improved significantly during the tournament.
T1’s jungler, Oner, remains confident in their ability to show up in crucial moments at the big stage. In a recent interview, he mentioned that best-of-five formats could work in their favor, suggesting T1 might have an edge in the more extended series format of the semifinals.
He also openly addressed the team’s challenging history against Gen.G. While many expect another loss, he stands firm. “We’ve lost to Gen.G a lot recently, and a lot of people already know that,” Oner stated. “But my personal thought is that we will play our hearts out to beat them this time.”
Tickets to London: Gen.G vs T1 Battle for League of Legends Worlds 2024 Finals spot
The winner of this semifinal will advance to the Worlds 2024 finals and face either Weibo Gaming or Bilibili Gaming. For T1, this is their opportunity to break their losing streak against Gen.G and potentially secure their fifth World Championship title. Meanwhile, Gen.G wants to prove that their dominance extends beyond domestic competition.
The #Worlds2024 Knockout Stage Bracket after the Quarterfinals!
📅 Saturday, Oct 26:@WeiboGamingLoL 🆚 @BilibiliGaming
📅 Sunday, Oct 27: @T1LoL 🆚 @GenG pic.twitter.com/2vlJB1mowm
— LoL Esports (@lolesports) October 20, 2024
The Verdict: Too Close To Call
While Gen.G has owned T1 this year, Worlds brings out a different side of teams. T1’s recent surge and their skill in best-of-five matches make this semifinal unpredictable. With both teams showing strong form and high motivation, this match could easily go the full distance and become one of the most memorable series of this year’s World Championship.
All eyes turn to Berlin on October 27th for the League of Legends Worlds 2024 featuring Gen.G vs T1—the LCK tigers against Worlds beasts. Fans worldwide would be watching to see if T1 can finally overcome their Gen.G problem.
