"I want to focus on 1on1 for 2010"

fragster: You lost your first match to Cypher. Did you expect to lose the game?

Pierre-Emeric 'link1n' Portier: I don't have the best condition here. I'm sick since a couple of days now, just before I arived in Germany. So I don't feel very good actually and I could do a lot better, but I think I didn't have a lot of chances to win the game against Cypher. He is going to reach top three and he is a great dueller, which he showed to me in the first game. I know I could do a lot better.

But both maps looked pretty close for a while, when you got a frag and gained the control. But you didn't catch up with Cypher. Can you explain what you did wrong?

link1n: I could have come back on both maps. I rushed too much on t9 and took a lot of damage, because Cypher was spamming all the time with rockets and plasma. So he managed to grab a few mega healths and had two yellows to work with, while I had only one. After that I didn't have my mind in the game and kind of gave it up, because I knew that I lost. It was almost the same on ztn, when I had the red and mega health, but his rockets were destroying me. Also my movement was crap and I hitted every corner when I tried to strafe. I don't know if it is because I'm stressed or because I am sick today. Usually I play a lot better, but that wasn't my game at all. Cypher made some great moves and gained back the control. My game is all about the RailGun, but I didn't hit anything at all against Cypher. I hope that I can change that against k1llsen and zsx.

Would you say that it is your lack of experience which is putting you in the underdog position?

link1n: I'm definitely not known for my duel skills, mostly CTF and TDM, but I'm learning it. When you arrive at LANs and you got a good confidence you can do whatever you want. Maybe I could have won with a better confidence. If I put myself into more 1on1 games I could do better and reach top three maybe. That's what I want to do, especially after the game against Cypher. He made me realize that I don't practise 1on1 so much and I should definitely put more time into it. Even if I have a better aim than some players here I know that they will make top six at least and I might not even go through the groupstage. So yeah, I definitely need to practise 1on1.

So your goal is to focus on 1on1 matches?

link1n: Nowadays we don't have decent CTF or TDM leagues, especially on LAN. We have only QuakeCon, which is only once a year, so it doesn't make so much sense to spend all the time for that. If I still have the support of an organisation and I say hello to fnatic for trusting me, I will even put all my time into 1on1. I am playing Quake Live every day, but mostly random games with friends like ClanArena or pickup. My main goal in 2010 is to work on 1on1 and see if I can make something happen at the upcoming events.

Is there a chance to see you in the weekend cups which Spart1e was dominating the last weeks?

link1n: Yeah, I think I will try to start with that one actually. I mean, even if it is online you have the chance to play some good players like Av3k, Cooller or Cypher and some more. I think that it is a nice practise, but if it happens I will definitely lose my first tournaments. I don't have the knowledge on the new maps like I have on ztn for example. If I have the motivation and someone can help me with it I will definitely put more time into 1on1.

Don't you get tips from your clanmates Spart1e, stermy and strenx?

link1n: Actually I don't play very often against them. Even if there is a tournament I prefer to play a mid level guy to feel confident when I arrive at the event. I played a few times against them, but they are not giving tips or so. We are just playing and see who wins. If I want to reach top three I need someone who can tell me what I did wrong and what I should correct. And I need to change my game, because it's not a good thing that I am addicted to the RailGun.

You are facing k1llsen and zsx in your next matches. What are your chances in those matchups?

link1n: I have no idea. If I want to reach the playoffs I have to beat both of them and that is what I'm going to try, even if I'm not in my best shape.

Would you be disappointed if you get knocked out in the groupstage?

link1n: I would be disappointed if I lose all my games here. When I saw the groups a few days ago and read Cypher and k1llsen I was "What the fuck, I can't go through". But after that I played a bit against my teammates and realized that I have a chance to beat k1llsen and zsx if I manage to play my A-Game.

Like calipt did yesterday?

link1n: Yeah, maybe ... I don't know. No offense to calipt, but he was definitely lucky, because Av3k didn't play his best game. I feel very sad for Spart1e, because he is in a very great shape at the moment. We will see if I can do it like calipt, I will try my best.

Thank you.