xelex: "I'm not performing at the highest level [on stage], that's one thing I'm trying to work on"

MOUZ sealed their fourth grand final appearance of the season with aplomb by romping past BETBOOM in the semi-finals of IEM Beijing, repeating their victory over Kirill "⁠Boombl4⁠" Mikhailov's men from the group stage.

The team's rookie, Adrian "⁠xelex⁠" Vincze, admitted to HLTV after the match that it took him some time to adjust to playing on stage after MOUZ played all of their matches behind closed doors on the B stream, but he started looking more comfortable by putting a bottom-of-the-barrel showing on Ancient behind him on Mirage.

"On the first map, it was really... at first I was like, when I'm coming back into the game, okay, it's fine, I'm capable of just playing my game and this type of stuff," xelex said. "But when they were coming with an A execute, and I couldn't hear them running, and I couldn't tell if I heard my teammate running behind me or if it was them, it was just tough. I was a bit shaky too; of course, it's just the arena experience.

"But I'm just happy that I managed to handle it well on the second map already. I think I just needed one map to warm up or just get used to it. So I think it will be better for sure for the grand final tomorrow."

Listen to the interview here.

Congratulations on making it to the grand final. A pretty dominant win over BETBOOM, so just tell me your thoughts after that series.

I'm super happy that we won 2-0. It's a really nice feeling that we went to the grand final now. But damn, man, it's really hard to hear in the game (laughs). It was really tough. Of course, we played in the arena for the first time at this tournament, and yeah, it was just tough on Ancient to get used to... let's say I'm in Donut, I can't hear if they're running A or Mid. It was just tough from this perspective.

But yeah, I think we managed to handle it pretty well, so I'm happy about that and that we stayed calm. On the first map, I don't think I played well, but yeah, I just had to get used to the surroundings somehow. But on the second map, I think I stepped up, and everybody else played well, so I'm super happy.

You are the most inexperienced player in terms of playing on the stage, so how has it been adjusting to that kind of surrounding, especially when you don't get it during the group stage?

Yeah, on the first map, it was really... at first I was like, when I'm coming back into the game, okay, it's fine, I'm capable of just playing my game and this type of stuff. But when they were coming with an A execute, and I couldn't hear them running, and I couldn't tell if I heard my teammate running behind me or if it was them, it was just tough. I was a bit shaky too; of course, it's just the arena experience.

But I'm just happy that I managed to handle it well on the second map already. I think I just needed one map to warm up or just get used to it. So I think it will be better for sure for the grand final tomorrow.

It was a rematch against BETBOOM too, and the same two maps to start. Did you expect that?

We expected another map pick, but not Ancient again. But we were like, 'Okay, fine, it's just Ancient again.' It's not like we are scared of the map or something. It's at least nice to prove that we can play that map well too. And yeah, I don't think anything changed. We didn't really get surprised. I was just super happy that we could play Mirage again, my favorite map (laughs). Let's go.

xertioN said to me after you made the playoffs that this is the best MOUZ he's ever seen since he's been on the team. How do you feel about being part of that?

Yeah, I think the players just really fit well with the chemistry that we have, and it clicks a lot of times. I think it's just really nice that, like I said once already, I like to be aggressive if it's needed of me. If I have to be sent out somewhere, I can do it, and I'm down for it. So I think it helps them to have more options if they have these kinds of players, and yeah, it's just all about the dynamics in the team, and the chemistry is really good; we just fit.

When I talked to Magnojez, he said that when they played you, they weren't really playing their best game the first time. He also said it was really cold in the B stream area (xelex smiles), so how was it being warmer on the stage this time? Do you feel like they played a different game this time around?

I don't think that they played much differently, to be honest. We kind of had a read on how they would play on even the prep side; that on Ancient they probably would hit B site a bit more, because last time we smashed them on A site, basically. And it was that way, like we expected.

But other than that, I think they just played kind of the same. We had everything under control. We just had to get used to the surroundings; I think that was the only issue. And yeah, it was much warmer, so I was super happy that I didn't have to sit in a hoodie and play CS like that (laughs).

Another thing xertioN mentioned is that you want a trophy in one of these last two events before the Major, either this one or in Hong Kong. You're one step away from that now, so how much confidence do you have in the team going into tomorrow's final?

I'm really confident. Of course, we had it as a goal that we want to win this tournament, so everybody knows what the job is to do and finish. So yeah, we'll just go and play tomorrow, enjoy the game and give our best and just lift the trophy.

I remember talking to you in Astana, and you were really fresh to the team back then. How do you feel like you've developed? xertioN was saying that it's still a work in progress, but he's seeing a lot of development from you.

Yeah, of course, I'm getting more... I would even say that I'm already really comfortable in the team, in the surroundings that we have and the people that I can work with that are helping me progress to the highest level that I can get to. I think I'm getting better.

Of course, it's just these stage matches where I feel like I'm not performing a bit at the highest level that I can, and that's one thing that I'm trying to work on as much as I can, because of course, I don't want to let the team down when the pressure is up. So other than that, I think I'm doing pretty good and yeah, just still getting the experience as much as I can.

Can you take me inside of that mentality a little bit? When you're an inexperienced player, you're going on stage, it's kind of fresh, there's some pressure and whatnot, but what is that actually like?

I think it's a bit maybe hard to describe. It's just... of course, you want to perform well, but at the same time, you know that you shouldn't focus on performing only; you should play the game. But when you get to the stage, when you sit down and the arena starts, the hype, the bass and the sounds go on, then it's much different already when you're there than before you go on the stage, of course.

So it's tough to adapt to it as a rookie, but at least one thing that I can think about is that it's the same for the opponent, so it's not like it's a disadvantage for us. Yeah, it's tough, but I'm trying to get used to it as much as I can and just perform on the same level, hopefully.

And lastly, you're going to play The MongolZ tomorrow in the grand final. Maybe an unexpected opponent, considering they were up against NAVI, but also a rematch of your game from Bucharest. So what are your thoughts on that matchup and facing them instead of NAVI?

It's a good team to play against. They have an interesting playstyle; sometimes they can pull off some interesting moves (smiles). I think we will be very ready for it tomorrow.

And I'm sad that we don't play NAVI. It would have been a bit nicer, maybe, or just a more satisfying feeling. But I'm still looking forward to the game, and a best-of-five; this will be my fourth one. So yeah, hopefully I can bring the highest level.

Are you a fan of best-of-fives in the final then?

Not that much because it's just a lot of energy, to be honest. You have to focus a lot for hours, and it's just a lot of energy. That's the hard part. But it's fun, it's vibes, it's enjoyable, but you just have to be really ready mentally and everything.

Kirill 'Boombl4' MikhailovPast 3 months

MOUZ

Ádám 'torzsi' Torzsás

Lotan 'Spinx' Giladi

Dorian 'xertioN' Berman

Oldřich 'PR' Nový

Adrian 'xelex' Vincze

Dennis 'sycrone' Nielsen

Adrian 'xelex' VinczePast 3 months

BETBOOM

Kirill 'Boombl4' Mikhailov

Aleksandr 'zorte' Zagodyrenko

Pavel 'S1ren' Ogloblin

Daniil 'd1Ledez' Kustov

Kirill 'Magnojez' Rodnov

Artem 'Fierce' Ivanov